The Yankee
by BlueMoonDuchess
Summary: “You know that saying boss that you have, about being a Marine? The one where you never leave a man behind? Well Italians have a saying too boss. You don’t screw family. You don’t go contro la famiglia.” Tony/Gibbs father/son relationship.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I'm from West Virginia, and proud! Recently however, I visited a good friend in Long Island, and couldn't help but make comparisons to our beloved Tony. The show in my opinion has not explored to the depth that I would prefer Tony's background. He is an Italian-American from Long Island who is living in a southern state. I was inspired to write this based off my trip. I thought it would be interesting to write a story showcasing his roots, and his culture.

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

Warning: Language.

*All Italian dialogue has been translated, however everyday common speech I have not translated right next to the passage because I think somehow having the translation next to it takes away from it. All the words are at the bottom. I'm going to continue in this format unless too many people complain. (There is no Italian in this chapter)

"Do you understand that you are going to be accused of murder, Tony?"

"Yeah boss I got that."

"Do you understand that this is the third time that you have been accused of murder?"

"Third time's the charm? What, you want me in jail?"

"I'm incredulous. I have never had an agent been accused this many times."

"I don't know if it helps, but I didn't do it."

"I know that DiNozzo. What I don't understand is why you can't tell me any details surrounding this. Defend yourself. Asking for a lawyer is going to prevent any chance to clear your name in the open."

"You know that saying boss that you have, about being a Marine? The one where you never leave a man behind? Well Italians have a saying too boss. You don't screw family. You don't go contro la famiglia."

One Month Ago…(Gibbs)

I can hear someone entering my house and coming down the stairs. Heavy step, but slower paced, not Tony. Perhaps Ducky? The door opens and I see a tired FBI agent. Nope, Fornell.

"Problem Fornell", I ask.

"Yeah", he replies, "Big one."

I put my tools down and pour us both a drink, and then wait. He sighs and runs his hand over his head.

"Look", he says, "I really shouldn't even be here, but I thought it best to give you the heads up."

I continue to wait.

"It's just that we have already accused DiNozzo of murder twice, and we've been wrong on both counts, so I figure I might give a little here."

"DiNozzo in trouble?"

"Depends."

I settle for glaring.

"Is there somewhere we can sit", he asks and fingers a folder, "Got a few things to show you."

I nod and lead him upstairs. Once we are both seated in the kitchen he pulls out a few pictures. I recognize each of them immediately, but I let him explain them anyway. It never hurts to get as much information as possible.

He places each picture distinctly in front of me and then a family tree. I don't like where this is going.

Fornell points to a mug shot of a thug, around the same age as DiNozzo; olive skin, spiky gelled hair, two huge diamond earring studs, a wife beater and a huge golden cross.

"This here is Carmine De Luca", he says. "Arrested for selling drugs."

He points to another picture of a similar looking boy. This picture unsettles me because I can obviously tell that it was taken without the boy's knowledge. He looks more dangerous than his brother, hair gelled back and piercing blue eyes.

"James or Jamie De Luca", he says pointing at him, "His younger brother."

"He's under surveillance", I ask.

Fornell nods. This is not good.

He points to another picture.

"This here is Christian De Luca", he says. "Other younger brother, number three in the family". Shaved buzz hair cut, wearing expensive clothes, but nothing as outlandish as his brothers.

He then points to the last picture, it's a girl around seventeen that had been raped. Her face is bruised and I can tell that there are more injuries past the camera's shot.

"Mary De Luca", he says, "Says she was raped."

I shoot my eye up, words are unnecessary.

"Looks Gibbs", he says, "You hear about that case about the missing senator's daughter, the one from New York?"

I nod again. I don't like where this is going.

"Megan Broome" he says while picking out another picture of a blonde girl, "The senator's daughter has been missing for over a week now."

I interrupt him.

"What, the New York branch can't handle this by themselves?"

"I'm not involved", he states, "I'm just passing along the information. Figured I owed you as much."

I nod again and let him continue.

"Anyway", he says, "They went through her phone records. Found pictures on her phone of Mary de Luca being raped by her boyfriend. Apparently she was sending the pictures to Mary everyday."

"Why", I ask.

"Apparently the two were feuding over a boy, name is Brandon Johnson. He is the one accused of raping Mary. Anyway, Mary pressed charges against Brandon, and when he wakes up from the coma he is currently in, he will be tried."

"Coma?"

"Yeah real mysterious huh?"

Yeah I think to myself, her brothers must have had a field day with him, not that I mind.

"Anyway", Fornell states, "Everyone knew that the De Luca boys did it, but no one had evidence, they're rich you know."

Yeah no shit.

"Anyway", Fornell continues, "We believe that Megan was sending pictures of rape to humiliate Mary to get back at her. It didn't matter that it was her boyfriend cheating on her, she didn't care, she just wanted to hurt Mary. And now she's gone missing."

"Fornell", I stop him, "It's 1 in the morning, what the hell does this have to do with DiNozzo?"

"Other than the obvious", he states, "Well Dominic Leone, their cousin has placed a few calls to DiNozzo in the last week."

"Check further on his phone records", I state angrily, "They've kept in touch, it's not a one time event. I also do not appreciate you going through Tony's life."

"Look Gibbs", he says tiredly, "Just tell your boy to stay out of it. The senator is looking for blood right now. Meagan is his only child. Also, one agent who was working undercover has already gone missing in relation to this case, and this family is suspected of mafia connections."

I get up.

"DiNozzo is a fine agent", I say, "He wouldn't get mixed up in this."

"It's family", Fornell says.

"Listen to me", I state, "DiNozzo is a federal agent, he wouldn't betray that oath."

"Gibbs", he cuts me short, "It's been a long day. Let me make this quick and sweet. I've worked mafia cases before. I know the mindset."

"DiNozzo is not mafia!"

"I know that", Fornell cries, "But this is his family, and trust me, blood runs thicker."

"Italian is not synonymous with mafia."

"Save the political correctness", he shoots back at me, "I know Tony's a fine agent, but I also know that Meagan Broome didn't just disappear into thin air. And to be really honest, he's an Italian, no excuse me, Sicilian to be more precise from Long Island whose family has more money than the Queen of England."

I don't bother to argue this point. DiNozzo is not mafia, nor does he come from mafia.

"Is he under surveillance", I ask.

"Everyone in the damn family is under surveillance! A senator's daughter went missing! Look, let me lay it out for you, the De Lucas, Leones, DiNozzos, Brunellis, and Parsanos are all under scrutiny. They are family, and the problem Gibbs is that when they're good, they're good, but when they're bad, they're a helluva lot better. They've been smart so far, all lawyered up. You know that its only a matter of time before they go after DiNozzo because they can affect his career. They are going to go after DiNozzo because they know of the rift in the family. They are especially going to go after DiNozzo because if someone is teaching these moron kids how to kidnap a senator's daughter and leave no evidence, no evidence whatsoever, its either DiNozzo or mafia. Take your pick."

"Fine", I concede, "I'll monitor him, but I can tell you right now that DiNozzo doesn't know about any of this."

"Just keep him the hell out of New York."

Two Weeks Later…(DiNozzo)

"DiNozzo!"

"Yes boss?"

"Maybe you should take that call."

"You sure boss, I know your policy-"

Gibbs gives me a pointed look.

"Right, I'll just take this."

Leaving the house I and sidestepping all the agents working around the dead bodies, I finally answer.

"DiNozzo."

"Tony", a tired voice answers. I recognize it immediately. Shocked a bit seeing is how I haven't talked to her in years, but I don't care. Despite myself, I'm smiling and excited.

"Elena? Hey, what's up? Everything okay?"

"My mother, she got into a car accident."

She pronounces mother without the "er", and car so harshly that I'm immediately reminded of the Island. I haven't heard that accent in a really long time.

"Is Aunt Donna alright?"

"She's dead Tony."

Well shit.

"Lenny, I'm so sorry. When is the funeral?"

"Friday, Tony, look I know that we haven't seen in each other in some time, and I know that you and your father aren't really on speaking terms, but Tony, we miss you. Please try and come, okay?"

I pause, "I'll have to clear it with my boss first."

I sigh. I hadn't been in New York for years now, and the thought of returning, it was appealing, but I didn't belong there anymore. But they wanted me back, perhaps it was time to put this all behind us.

"Tony, please. We're family."

Well now what am I supposed to say to that? Aunt Donna was good to me, and while some traits desired were lacking, she never wronged me. And Elena sounded so much older. But on the same hand these were the same people that cut me out of their lives. I didn't do that.

"Lenny, look I'm sorry about your mom-"

"Don't blow me off Tony", she snaps at me, "Look, I know that we all parted on less than perfect terms-"

"I was thrown out Elena", I say growing immediately tired of this conversation. Sure it was my father that was the one to do it, but the entire family was right there behind him in silent complaisance. Well most of them anyway. Regardless, no action is an action. We all made beds and now we have to lie in them. I live alone, celebrate holidays with Gibbs, and my father in return has no child to speak well of.

"You selfish son of a bitch", she starts screaming, "My mother just died, this isn't about you!"

I run my hand through my hair, she is right. I do know that.

"I'm sorry Elena."

"Good, so you'll come?"

"Yeah", I sigh, "I'll come."

She makes a satisfied sound on her line.

"Good, ma would have wanted that."

"Yeah?"

"She wanted the family to be together, that's all anyone ever wanted."

And I screwed that all up by refusing to be a pawn in my father's business.

"Elena", I warn, "Look, I'll be there okay? And I am sorry, Aunt Donna was a good lady."

She is silent on the other end, "It'll be good-hey, the hell is the matter with you, put that down!"

"Elena", I question.

"Sorry, I have to go, my idiot brother just walked in and he doesn't know what the hell he is doing."

"How is Frankie holding up?"

"Eh", she says, "You know how these things go."

I nod to myself, "What time Lenny?"

"The wake is at 7 in the evening. Friday and Thursday."

I make a mental note of it, and say my goodbye. I turn around and bump into Gibbs. I swear that man moves in ways that are not humanly possible.

"Everything okay", he asks me.

"My aunt died", I reply, "I'm going to need to take Friday off."

He puts his hand on my shoulder and nods, "You can have all the time you need, but Tony, Friday? Today is Tuesday, why not take tomorrow off?"

It's funny, normally I hate being touched. But Gibbs is the exception to the rule I suppose. I'm a tactile person, but I don't like it when others are tactile with me. Gibbs however has always been able to figure out when it is okay to touch and when it's not, hell I think he's the only one that even knows I have these kind of issues. He's different too, there is something about him that doesn't bother me, or maybe I'm just special. Yeah, I'm just special.

"The wake is Friday."

He looks at me the way I would imagine a hawk would look at its prey.

"You're going to New York?"

I nod.

"You sure?"

Gibbs knows my issues with my family, his background checks are the most intimate I've ever experienced. And truth to be told, I'm not really so sure.

"You want me to go with you?"

"No boss", I say, "I don't want to drag you away. I'm a big boy."

Plus the idea of him being around my family is already giving me headache. Of course the idea of going by myself isn't that much more attractive.

"Look Tony", he says real gently, "Let me come okay?"

My head shoots up, and before I can stop myself, I'm already thanking him and telling him how much I would appreciate it. Never mind how I am going to explain his appearance to my cousins, I just don't want to be alone. See now this is why I love Gibbs. People think he's an ass, and sometime's its warranted, but deep down, he takes care of his own. He's loyal.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you so much for the kind reviews, they are butter to my bread!

A million thanks to thunderincrimson, for all Italian translations. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Warning: Language.

Survival Italian:

Agida: Colloquial expression used to express aggravation.

Ciao: Hello/goodbye

La famiglia: The family

Mio padre: My father

Signore: Sir

Friday Morning:

I pick Gibbs up and start the trek back up to New York. I have Billy Joel playing in the background. That's as long island as you can get, and I figure its apropos considering. Plus, who doesn't love Billy Joel?

"You ever been to New York boss?"

"Of course DiNozzo."

"The Island?"

"Once or twice", he responds.

"You're going to love it", I say before I can stop myself.

It's home, and it doesn't matter how many bad memories accompany, because it will always be home.

"It's a shame we won't get there until late, I really do have to take you out for bagels."

Gibbs looks at me like I have lost it.

"Bagels?"

"You can't get bagels anywhere else that good boss."

"Is that a fact DiNozzo?"

I stop myself from my gut reaction from going, "duh". Its times like these that I have to remind myself that not everyone is from the Island.

"Yes boss", I explain patiently, "And just wait till we hit the city. You can't get pizza like that anywhere else."

"You seem to do fine with Nicky's around the block."

Now it's my time to give him a pointed look. I'm almost offended.

"Boss, no one does pizza like New York. Just wait, you are going to love it."

He smiles to himself, and I'm just about to continue telling him how awesome the food is, but I get a call from no one other than Dom. Dominic Leone is the closest thing I will ever have to a brother. We still managed to stay friends throughout the years, or rather keep in touch. Not much mind you, but enough. Before I can stop myself I dive for the phone while driving. We almost crash into the side rail on the highway, so Gibbs goes for the phone instead.

He also hits me on the head, but I figure almost killing me and him earned that. He puts the phone on speaker so I can speak. I answer in an uncharacteristic ebullience.

"Dom!"

"You fucker!"

Gibbs eyes widen a little bit, clearly this was not the greeting he was expecting.

"Dude!" I scream again.

"So the prodigal son returns huh", he says laughing.

"Hey, fuck you baby", I say while smiling. I can hear him laughing on the other end.

Normally I would never curse in front of Gibbs, but this isn't really cursing, this is communicating. And Gibbs was a Marine.

"Me and you are gettin' shit faced tonight", he declares.

"Oh yeah", I ask, "When is that?"

"After the wake", he says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Dude", I say, "I'm not sure that's respectful."

"Respectful to who", he ask, truly puzzled, "Auntie Donna bit it. She won't mind. Hey, we can drink to her. Does that assuage your guilt, you pansy ass? Fuck man, you sound just like fucking Frankie."

"That's cause it's his mother, you dumb ass", I say.

I notice that Gibbs is wincing at my vocabulary choices or maybe its that my accent is slipping, and he's just being reminded how harsh it really is. I know that New Yorkers don't have a more "polished" accent, so perhaps that plus the language is his objection.

"Well how the hell does going out affect her dead ass?"

And Gibbs thought I needed sensitivity training. Considering where I come from, it's a miracle that I am as tolerant as I am.

"Dom", I say laughing, although becoming slightly embarrassed for my cousin, "Look, it's his mother, you know?"

"Oh I forgot, he says, "You would know. Guess the two of you can join the dead mother's club now."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah, and how much longer does your mother have? She was three hundred pounds last time I saw her. She's a heart attack waiting to happen."

"Hey, that's my fucking mother, that woman birthed to me! What is wrong with you?"

I can see Gibbs is laughing a bit at the irony, so I join in. Laughter I figure is good because that means he can't be that uncomfortable.

"You're right", I concede, "So, where are we going?"

"Yo, Carmine is hooking us up. He got new shit in too."

That's wonderful. I beg the gods of the universe that Dom will shut up right this second and not get into Carmine's drug habit while my cop boss is listening. Why did I ever agree to have him come?

"He's out of jail", I ask hoping to change the direction of the conversation.

"Good fucking behavior, you believe that shit, that can't last long", he says, "By the way, who the fuck are you staying with?"

I wince. This was not going to go over well.

"The Marriot."

There is silence on the other end. Followed by a quick explosion.

"You are staying at a fucking hotel? The hell's wrong with you?"

Except when Dom's angry, his already heavy accent becomes even thicker. So it sounded more like, "Ya' stayin' at a fuck-king oh-tel? Ell's wrong wit you?"

"Dom", I say trying to calm him," Look, I'm coming up for the funeral, you know man? I didn't have anything else planned."

"We're family!"

I sigh, "Look, my boss is with me and we already have reservations, alright Dom?"

"Your boss is with you? You brought your boss up to Auntie Donna's funeral? Why?"

I sigh, and say nothing. And oh how I wish to not have this conversation with my boss sitting right next to me.

"Dom", I say patiently trying to quell any further disputes, "Just drop it alright? Look, I'll be there and we'll hang."

"What you need someone to hold your hand, is that it baby Tony? Too afraid to see Daddy?"

"It's not like that", I state, "He's a friend."

I can feel my face getting red, and purposefully look at the road.

"Look Dom, I got to go."

"You stay with me", he avers, "Even your boss, he's welcome too, okay man?"

"No", I say a bit too strongly. The idea of Gibbs around them, I just, no. I do not want these two worlds meshing.

"Why the hell not", he sounds offended, "You embarrassed or something?"

Truthfully? Yeah.

And also? There is no way in hell I'm inviting Gibbs to stay at Dom's place. I love Dom, and I love Carmine too, hell I love all of them, but Gibbs is too strait laced, and to be honest, it was Gibbs that has been there for me through the years. I respect Gibbs and recently I've begun to think that he respects and values me too. One night at Dom's place could ruin four years of hard work.

"Dom", I say, "Shove it. Look man, I got to go, I'll give you a call when I get in."

"Yeah yeah", he says, and then we hear a dog yelp, him scream, and then start cursing, "You fucking cunt licker", he screams at the dog. "Give me agida!"

I breathe in deeply, no, no way in hell am I bringing Gibbs to Dominic Leone's place.

When I first moved to Virginia, I quickly realized that I was not in New York. I never identified so much with Dorothy. For one, the amount of Italians and Jews were far less than the Island. For two, there were no bakeries. I couldn't fathom that. And for three, when I asked for "water" at restaurants the waitresses always gave me the funniest look and asked me to repeat myself. I realized that if I was to be successful and independent from my family I was going to have to learn to fit in.

So I learned. I stop gelling my hair back, I stop wearing a gold cross, gold chains, gold rings, and got rid of my ear piercings (well Gibbs kind of not so gently "encouraged" that). I learned to talk like them, it wasn't hard, after all I had gone to Ohio State and after not being around other like accented people, I learned to slip tongues and pronounce words without all the Long Island flair. I also stopped cursing so much, and I learned to have conversations with my hands in my pockets.

Didn't give up the suits though. I'm sorry, but Armani, Gucci, no, I refused to give that up.

Anyhow, now I was going back, with Gibbs. Fuck me tender.

"Alright I'll let you have your fucking Ritz", he says acerbically, and I don't bother correcting him, "But tonight, after the wake, you are mine. I miss you man. Aight?"

"Yeah yeah", I say, "Alright buddy I'll see you soon."

"Ciao you bastard", he says laughing and then hangs up.

I look over at Gibbs.

"Sorry boss."

He looks puzzled, "Sorry for what DiNozzo?"

It's wonderful that I'm driving, because it is beyond the perfect excuse to not look at him.

"For Dom", I say, "He's really a good guy. He saved my life once, when we were little. I was drowning and he pulled me to the shore. And I'm sorry I dragged you up here, it's not like you didn't have better things to do. If you want I can turn around, we're only in Delaware. I know the family is a lot, they're a lot to take in, and they aren't the most cultured-"

"Hey", he cuts me off, "Tony, look I'm here for you, okay? I'm not judging."

This time, I do look at him.

"Tony", he says like he's talking to a mentally challenged child, "Don't worry about me. This isn't about me. Do you want us to stay at Dominic's?"

"No", I burst out.

I stare straight ahead, I really could just turn around. I'm used to abuse, in fact I quite enjoy it sometimes. I'm a masochist like that. I could handle my family by myself.

"Hey", he starts, "Tell me more about New York."

I can tell he is humoring me, but I don't care. I love talking about New York. And I can't remember being this excited in a long time.

"I could take you to the beaches", I state, "It's real pretty with the snow."

"Do you like the beach DiNozzo?"

"Me? Personally? No, but you-"

He sighs loudly and hits me on the back of head. This is going to be a long trip.

Two Hours Later…(Gibbs)

"Fornell", I bark, "What?"

"I told you to keep him out of New York", he yells back at me on the phone, "That is the opposite of going into New York!"

"Hey I'm going with him", I respond, "He was determined to go. His aunt died."

"Donna Brunelli", he says, "I know. I don't trust it though, I think the family is being a bit opportunistic, it's a perfect reason for him to be in New York."

"Look", I state, "You have two minutes before Tony comes back from the bathroom break and then we are on the road again so make it fast."

"Gibbs", he says tiredly, "FBI is going to be at the wake and the funeral. If DiNozzo makes any of them there is going to be hell to pay."

"I'll stick to him", I say, "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to find agents that DiNozzo won't recognize or find agents that don't scream cop. And would it be too much to ask for some Mediterranean looking ones?"

I see Tony coming out, and decide to wrap this up, "I have to go, text me if anything comes up."

I hang up on him and ignore his startled, "You know how to do that?"

Fuck now I'm mad. This whole thing is going to be a disaster. DiNozzo is too good at observing people, he'll make those agents in a second. I move over the driver's seat. Tony eyes the switch from outside and walks around the passenger's side.

"Everything okay boss", he asks.

"My turn to drive", I grit. I just can't sit there and do nothing.

He glances at me suspiciously but lets it go.

We get to the hotel around five. I let DiNozzo shower first. Sitting on the bed and staring at the ceiling I realize how truly horrific this is going to be. I am exhausted and ready to kill. The entire thing is perverse. There is no doubt in my mind that Carmine, James, and Christian are guilty. There is no doubt that the FBI will find Megan Broome. There is no doubt that this event will somehow affect DiNozzo's career, and there is absolutely no doubt that Tony will get hurt greatly by the end of this.

With each passing closer to New York he reverted back to a child. He actually bounced when he saw the snow, his eyes lit up at graffiti, woke me up to make sure I was conscious going over the bridge to the island to appreciate the greatness of his city, and once we hit the long island radio stations, all hope for sleeping was gone.

DiNozzo has been through a lot, the plague, framed, used and abused by this job, and has always been resilient. His tenacity is one of his most admirable qualities, but this, this will break him. Because like Fornell keeps telling me, this is family.

Every birthday for DiNozzo he obsessively checks the mail to see if he gets a card from his dad or anyone else. Each birthday he makes sure his phone is glued to him on extra loud so just in case if they do call he'll get it. And each birthday he is devastated that no one calls. And now, now he's being invited back to the family, for reasons that I find suspicious, and he can't wait. For all I know he's only back in the family's good graces because they are scared and don't know what to do next. And I like Fornell find Donna Brunelli's death a bit too convenient.

My phone gets a text. Slowly I pick it up and read it.

Fornell:

FBI have found video placing Jamie and Carmine with Meagan at the club before she was taken.

I snap my phone shut and throw it at the wall. I pray that this girl is not dead, because if she is, God help us all.

Two Hours Later… (Tony)

I know I should be getting out of the car, but find myself a bit paralyzed at the moment. So we are stuck in the wake's parking lot until I decide to get it together.

"We getting out anytime soon", Gibbs asks me. He is dressed sharply, and on edge. Why, I'm not particularly sure. I'm not really sure of anything.

"I haven't seen them in years", I say quietly.

"Getting cold feet?"

I don't answer that. He doesn't understand.

"Look Tony", he tells me, "I got your six. Whatever happens, I'm here for you, you know that."

"Yeah I do", I say smiling. "I just don't want to screw this up you know?"

He closes his eyes and rests his hand on the seat's headrest.

"Tony", he says quietly, "You remember what I told you after you went missing, with that crazy waitress?"

"That I was irreplaceable", I say confidently. That I'll never forget. Why Gibbs is telling me this now, I'm not quite sure. Something is off, although I can't really concentrate on it. Maybe he's just tired.

"Yeah", he repeats after me, "You just remember that."

I smile at him.

"You were excited before", he reminds me.

"I got over it."

"You were singing", he tells me.

"It was a good song", I say in my defense. I recognized one of the songs and got excited.

I look out the window and see two people walking by that I don't recognize, and out of the corner of my eye I see Gibbs eyeing me suspiciously.

"What" I ask.

"What are you looking at", he asks coolly.

"I don't know some of the people going in there", I respond, "They look like rent a cops."

He looks at me, nods his head and then breathes in deeply.

"You haven't seen the family in years", he says, "They're bound to have gotten bigger."

"I know", I sigh. I'm just looking for problems. I'm actually quite good at it. No one can find trouble as well as me.

"Come on DiNozzo", he says, "There's only one way in life to handle issues, and that's head on, no more hiding."

He is right, but then again it's easy for him. This isn't his family and then suddenly I'm angry.

"I can't do this", I say.

I start the engine back up.

"Tony?"

"They threw me out! Just because I wanted to go to college, because I didn't want to work for la famiglia! They all went to work for my dad, fine, that's fine for them, but I didn't want that. I didn't abandon them, I didn't abandon the family, I just didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. I didn't want to be part of the family company. Is that so horrible? Does that make me such a bad person? Did that warrant my excommunication? It's not my fault Gibbs! I didn't do this!"

Gibbs is silent.

"Whatever you want to do", he says, "is fine with me."

I look at him oddly. That was not the response I was expecting. I was expecting him to tell me that I was being too sensitive and that people make mistakes and that we should forgive them. Or to get the hell over it because my aunt is dead and this isn't about me. Or maybe that if I felt so strongly I should have realized that before I dragged him all the way to New York.

Something is off.

"We could go back to the hotel", he offers. "Go sightseeing for the rest of the weekend."

Something is off, really off. It's not in Gibbs' nature to back down from anything regardless of the situation.

"What", I spit out.

But before Gibbs can respond there is a bang on my window.

"Tony", screams a raspy smoker's voice.

I look and see Dom.

And before I can stop myself, I'm already out of the car hugging the hell out of him. I did miss him. We kiss each other on the cheek, the forehead and then the lips. That's the Italian way after all.

Gibbs follows my lead and gets out as well.

We part from the hug and swing his arm around me. He's bigger than me, always has been, so easily envelops me.

"You Tony's boss", he asks Gibbs.

Gibbs nods, comes around the car and sticks his hand out.

"Jethro Gibbs", he states.

Dom doesn't take his hand but instead looks at me.

"I thought your boss had some hick name", he tells me, "Leroy wasn't it? What happened to him?"

Shoot me. I give up. Gibbs in his glory smiles to himself, and reoffers his hand.

"Dom", I say nudging him to shake my boss's proffered hand.

"Dominic Leone", he says after a beat and shakes Gibbs's hand.

"Either one of you gentlemen want a smoke", he asks.

"No thank you", Gibbs says quietly.

"Hell yeah", I say at the same time. "I mean not right now."

Dom shrugs and puts the cigarettes away.

"I'm planning on blowing out of here around nine", he tells me, "Good for you?"

I nod. He grabs my face with arm around my shoulder.

"Damn kid I missed you. Alright, might as well get in there. Friggin freezing out here."

He starts to walk, but I pull him back.

"My dad in there", I ask.

Dom looks down, and scratches his head, "Yeah babe, about that, he's real busy."

"He's not coming to the wake?"

"Well it was a two day wake. He came yesterday."

I stop. Of course he did. This was such a stupid idiotic idea. I don't know what is wrong with me. I always do this to myself. This is exactly what happened with Jeanne. I thought it could be perfect despite everything, I had hope and faith in it, and when it all crashed I was devastated, and to be honest, shocked. I never prepare for people to pull out on me, but I should be after all that's what happens. Why would my father, mio padre, bother to see me? He made his peace with it apparently.

All of sudden I feel Gibbs reach for my hand and squeeze it.

"Come on", he says gently, "Let's get on in, it's cold."

The casket is closed, apparently there was too much scarring, and Elena wanted to preserve her mother's dignity and thus opted for the closed casket. Dom is to the side of me, and Gibbs behind giving me the space I need.

I see my grandfather Angelo DiNozzo speaking Italian to his brother, my great uncle Vinny, and see a million mass cards to pray for the deceased.

"Tony", gasps a woman.

Oh holy shit, that's Connie. She comes over to give me a hug. She smells like hairspray and nail polish which is exactly how I remember: big hair, big curves, and bigger personality. It's fitting that she is Dom's sister because she is the exact female version of him; loud and obnoxious in a feminized manner. Her outfit consists of a tight sweater that is showing off her cleavage, a tight leather skirt, high heels, huge gold hoop earrings and blood red long nails.

"Oh my fucking God", she says, "Anthony!"

And with that everyone turns, and I again remind myself to think things through. Everyone is looking at me and assessing me. The last time they saw me I was going off to college. I was 18. I recognize almost everyone, they look so much older, no, they look so much harder. The eyes are the same though, that same mischievous ready to laugh glint that we all seem to share.

Soon each and every one of them come up to me. Many of them are crying (not because of Aunt Donna) and are hugging me, and I them. Maybe I was wrong all these years. I should have tried harder to keep in touch with all of them. I missed my family. Everyone is chatting and catching up, and a few are showing me their children who I had no idea existed. We fucking grew up each other and I had no idea.

I take a moment to spot Gibbs who is watching me from the corner. I also notice a few others that haven't come up to me, I do not know them, and they don't seem the type to be here. Perhaps they are business partners of my father? But that doesn't fit either. If they were business workers they would have come when my father came. Oh well, I don't have the strength to care about anything else right now. This moment is almost perfect.

An old man grunts and everyone stops. A way is cleared for my grandfather who is also crying. He holds me tight, and I him.

"Antonio" he whispers to me, è passato troppo tempo", (It's been too long)

"Sì nonno, mi sei mancato" I repeat back fluidly. (Yes my grandfather it has been, I have  
missed you).

God how I missed speaking in Italian too. I don't know how I ever left New York.

"Quando riparti?" (When do you leave?)

"Domani, ma posso stare più a lungo." (Tomorrow, but I can stay longer)

"Dobbiamo parlare." (We must speak.)

"Va bene, hai il mio numero?" (Alright, do you have my number?)

"Certo" he says with a wink, "sei mio nipote." (Of course, you are my grandson.)

I hug him again.

Finally I make my way back to Gibbs.

"It looks like its going well", he tells me.

"Boss", I say, "I can't even tell you. Thank you so much for making me come."

He looks upset but smiles nonetheless.

"I see your Italian is still good."

"Had you any doubts?"

He looks down avoiding my eyes, "Nah Tony, I have never have doubts with you."

"Hey boss", I say, "Me and some of the guys are going out afterwards, to celebrate life, so I'll meet you back at the hotel a little later tonight."

His head shoots up, "You mean you're going?"

Well, yeah?

"Is that a problem", I ask him. I'll cancel in a second for Gibbs, but I really do want to go.

"Aren't you tired from the drive", he asks, and is that desperation?

"No signore", I reply.

"Where are you going", he asks.

"Not sure", I respond honestly, "Some club."

"With who", he asks.

I smile, sometimes Gibbs is too much like my father, or what my father should have been, but that thinking is behind me now. I'm going to see my father tomorrow I decided, and I'm going to straighten this all out. I'm on a fucking roll.

"Um as of now Dom and Carmine. I don't think you've met Carmine, he's my cousin too."

"The one that was in jail for drugs?"

Had I mentioned that?

"Yeah boss, how did you-"

"You mentioned it on the phone, the one that got out for good behavior, no?"

Oh that's right. Although I thought I was doing a better job of censuring, I'm surprised I let the drug bit slip. Whatever, it's been stressful.

"Yeah", I repeat, "That's right."

"Tony", he starts, "Maybe you should come back to the hotel."

"Why" I ask a bit too harshly, "Things are going really great Gibbs."

"Your dad didn't come", Gibbs points out. Well leave it to Gibbs to remind me.

"I grew up with these people", I respond, pleading with him to give me his blessing.

Although, I don't understand the objection. Unless of course it's because Dom and Carmine are the stereotypical Italians and he doesn't want me to end up embarrassing myself, him or the agency.

"Alright", he says, and doesn't he sound just ten years older, "Look Tony, why don't you come back to the hotel anyway cause you are going to need to change."

I look at what I'm wearing and quickly agree, because you can't get shit faced in a suit as nice as this. I mean you could, but that would be sacrilegious.


	3. Chapter 3

Survival Italian for this Chapter:

Capo: Boss

Mi dispiace: I'm sorry

Ottimo: Excellent

Inglesi: English

Va bene: Alright

Nonno: Grandfather

Buonanotte: Good night.

Thanks to all for reviewing! For those of you have some more of the intimate details surrounding Long Island culture I hope I live up to expectations!

Special thanks to Trekde for providing insight on the Italian.

(Gibbs)

The wake went well except for the minor upset with Peter DiNozzo being a no show. I want to be happy for Tony, I really do, but I just can't imagine this ending well.

It has however been interesting to see Tony with his guard down a bit. He always tries too hard to please me that he looses a bit of himself in the process. Seeing him laughing with his cousins and talking with his grandfather gave me the opportunity to get a different glimpse into his soul. I can't tell if he realizes it but his accent has completely remerged along with other Italian mannerisms that I had assumed were buried; wild hand gesticulations, him making hands into flattened "o's", and then kissing them is another side that I never truly seen. Plus the laughing. I haven't heard DiNozzo laugh that loudly, that heartily in a very long time. It was genuine.

I have a greater glimpse into who he is, and who he must have been as a teenager. I have no doubt that he was difficult. Growing up with that much money and no parent to govern him, he must have been impossible. Hell he's impossible now, I can only imagine what kind of havoc he must have wrecked as a teenager.

I've never considered strongly the ethnicity of the people I work with. It doesn't matter as long as they can get the job done. However, seeing him interact with his very loud family I now better understand where it is he is coming from and why he reacts so strongly to things that he does. And I also understand why he is an incredible undercover agent. He's charming and confident, and he can pull off almost everything because of it.

That's why he's valuable. You can't teach cockiness to new recruits, it's something you are born with. You can't give someone a pair of balls. You can't teach heart to people. You have it, or you don't.

And its heart that is condemning him like it has done in the past. His spirit is too strong to be willed by others, that's why he left his home and culture and to an extent, his identity behind him to follow his dreams. He defied his father, his family and all of whatever the hell this is to do what he wanted, to do what he believed to be right. And it will be his heart that will condemn him if helps his family if they approach him.

I know right now after watching him hug and cry with his family that he will be loyal to them, and that he will back them and defend them. And honestly, that I cannot fault him for, nor do I expect him to turn his back on them. But that, that is why the FBI are so strongly interested in him.

And not that I wanted his family to kick him out on his ass, or that I wanted him to completely forget Italian, but unfortunately for him this makes a greater risk and potential target to the FBI. He fits in too damn well. Of course it's not really fitting in, this is who he really is.

And so now? Now I'm planting microphones on him so I'll be with him all night just in case. I'm not letting him get into trouble because of his loyalty to his family. I should have seen this coming, it just took one phone call from them to get him back on the Island.

He so damn desperate to be included again that his judgment is impaired. I know DiNozzo and I know that deep down he's like me and believes that if he's doing the right thing, than to hell with the rules. Or maybe he happened to pick that up from me.

I've never tagged one of my team mates, I've certainly never deceived one as great as I'm about to, but it's for his own good, and that's the only justification I need. Tony will understand and excuse my planting a recording device on his phone. It has a great reception and I figure that the phone will always be on his person.

He has been in the bathroom for at least twenty minutes now. What the hell could he possibly be doing? After sharing hotel rooms before with him I soon became familiar with the extraordinary amount of time he requires to present himself for the day, but this is ridiculous.

Ten dollars says he's doing his hair. It's always the damn hair.

And speaking of hair? I will kill him. He walks out of the hotel bathroom dressed well, and considering the circumstances I'm biting my tongue, but if we were in Washington I would slap him and tell him that he should know better than to dress like a thug.

Because honestly? That's what he looks like. And more honestly? That's what his family looks like. The younger men dressed like a bunch of punks, and the women like trash, well expensive trash. Half of the women are wearing horrifically inappropriate clothing, with fake nails, burnt dyed hair, and the entire Macy's make up center. And truth to be told, they look scary. I know that I have Marine training but look at some of these women might actually be able to put up some semblance of a respectful fight. The other half however are striking. They remind me of DiNozzo. The cheeky grin, glittering eyes, and wit in each of them is analogous to DiNozzo's. I am dying to see which ones are closest to Tony's lineage. Two of the woman are sitting are sharply dressed in black dresses and have their hair tousled a bit. This half of the women seemed to have retained their natural dark hair color instead of the fake blonde preference.

But the other half? Just looking at them I want to walk up to them and show them how ladies should dress. And if I see one more coach bag so help me God. If my daughter Kelly ever dressed like one of those girls I would have died.

Well, except Mary. Mary was dressed quite conservatively, and was quite quiet. My heart went out to her. No one deserves to be raped, and that Broome girl had no right to torment her afterwards. And really, after looking at her, I would bet that she probably didn't even know originally what her brothers had planned and now she was just caught up in it all

"You're not going to say anything", he asks me mischievously.

The bastard knows that his attire isn't acceptable to my standards.

"DiNozzo", I say, "Pull your pants up." His damn boxers are showing, and today's color apparently is blood red, and it appears to be silk. Wonderful, because I need to know these things.

"Can't capo", he tells me, "Mi dispiace, but I have to."

"You have to?"

Damn kid seems so happy too. He's killing me because I can't imagine this ending without heartbreak.

"Yup capo", he tells me, "But I have to. Part of the code."

I reexamine him. Perhaps I'm being too closed minded.

Baggy pants, check. Two huge diamond studded earings, check. Large chain necklace, check. Black wife beater, check. Sneakers with electric green lacing, of course. And then my personal favorite, his hair gelled back. I thought I had broken him of that habit damn it.

When DiNozzo first started for working for me he stumbled about the first month in culture shock. I finally took pity on him when I learned that he went home early one day because he had overheard some vicious gossip from other fellow agents. When I confronted him about his actions he told me that I would have his resignation on my desk the next day.

I had heard the rumors and I suspected that he had as well, he was observant, and I expected nothing less, but I hadn't realized how petty and cruel they had become, or how hard he taken them to heart.

Tony I learned that day is quite sensitive.

I took the rest of the day off and sat down with him and had a real heart to heart. He admitted that he had overreacted and that he was overwhelmed being in a new place without any friends, which for him, was a new development.

He then proceeded to tell me about his father, his family, and his frustrations at being so out of place, all the time. He had never worked in a federal agency before, and the office culture was different from that of a bullpen. Plus, he was a Yankee, and an Italian one at that. He couldn't figure out why he was such a target, because he was a good guy.

I was brutally honest with him. Everyone wants to work with me because its an automatic career booster; my team has always been assigned the toughest and most complicated cases. I told him that no one understood why I had picked him because he seemed like a buffoon. I showed him how to style his hair, and advised him to wear his very Catholic saint medals under his shirt instead. I told him that most of these people didn't come from money like he did, and although he didn't flaunt he made no attempts to hide it. I then I hit him and told him I expected him to not rise to the bait of petty gossip and that everything else would fall into place. I also then expected him to make up the work he had missed.

And now, all that hard work has been thrown out the window. He does not stand before me as a professional. He looks like a guido playboy. No, absolutely not.

"Where did you even get all this", I settle for asking.

"Carmine hooked me up."

"Yeah I'm sure", I say before I can stop myself.

He looks a tad hurt, "He's not so bad."

"You look like someone I would arrest", I say.

Apparently that's a good thing because he's smiling again.

"Ottimo!" He exclaims happily, "I didn't want to scream cop."

"Trust me", I say barely tolerating the Italian, "You don't scream cop."

Which is why he is always my number one for undercover work, the kid is a chameleon.

He pumps his fist, grabs his hotel key and phone and checks out.

I grab his face with one hand and bring it right to mine.

"You are a federal agent", I tell him dangerously, "You understand? You are a representative of this team's success, and the agency's."

He laughs in my face.

"Just want to get a few drinks in me, and capo, go dancing!"

His eyes are sparkling and I realize this is a lost cause. I can give him a night I suppose. I let his face go.

"Behave yourself."

Before I know I have DiNozzo hugging the life out of me. He in like holds my face, only with both hands and gently, and then kisses me on the forehead.

I will kill him.

"Don't wait up capo", he tells me happily.

"DiNozzo", I say, "I speak English. Got it?"

"Inglesi, si si capo", he says laughing and then dashes out before I can smack him.

I sigh, I hope to God that for both our sakes whatever he does won't embarrass him, or me because I'm going to be the one hearing it.

Three hours into my surveillance, I almost about give up. He is beyond drunk, and has been dancing all night, and there has been nothing of relation to the current case at hand. Maybe the FBI is wrong because there has been no mention of anything other than chugging and grinding. There has also been a lot of eating and DiNozzo telling everyone how horrific the Italian food is in Washington. Apparently the prince only can New York food, and is now trying to make up for the amount of years he did not eat in his beloved state. If I could, I would slap him.

Maybe I just will when he gets in. I don't need to give him a reason, I'm the boss, excuse me, capo.

And also? If I ever hear the words "Italian Stallion" again in my life I will kill someone. And that someone? That someone would be DiNozzo.

I chuckle despite myself and realize that I do truly love him. He is like the son I never had. He is the closest thing I have to a personal life which is why this is hitting me that much harder. This is going to blow up, I give it a week.

The DiNozzo show, as entertaining as it has been seems to move to the bedroom, or what I later discern to be a bathroom. Keep it classy Tony.

I call it quits for the next hour as he goes through what seems to be multiple women at the same time. I also hear a male voice somewhere in the picture, but I let that go. I let all of it go and realize how beyond intrusive this is.

A bit later I hear DiNozzo despite his drunken state questioning the presence of some questionable people at the party. As the conversation continues I realize he's talking about the undercover agents in place. I immediately go to my phone to call him to come back to the hotel, but his cousins brush off his concerns and attempt to silence him with more alcohol. DiNozzo protests and tells Carmine to hide his shit and stop being so obvious. He sounds disappointed that his cousin is dealing, but I have greater concerns. As much as I knew that his response would be to protect his cousin, somewhere deep down I really wanted him to pull out handcuffs and arrest him. I know how the cards are going to fall when this all goes to hell, and I have an itch that I won't be able to stop it.

It's around three when DiNozzo finally asks to be driven home. My ears perk up at the first sign of a confrontation.

"Stay with me man", says a smoker's voice who I identify as Dom.

"No", says DiNozzo a bit drunkenly, "Gibbs man, I have to, you know, go back."

"Tony give me a fucking break."

"What", Tony asks.

"It's just this whole thing with your boss, man he shouldn't even be here, this is family."

"Well he's my family", Tony replies honestly, "He's like my dad. I love him man. I love you too you know." If there was any doubt he was drunk before, I now have extreme confirmation.

"He's a fucking WASP", Dom cries, "He's your fucking boss, how you going to say that he's family?'

Tony misses a beat but then quickly responds.

"Why does this bother you so much?"

"Because", Dom cries, "I never see you and now you want to go spend the little time we have with your boss. It's ridiculous, and now you going to say he's like your father? You have a father Tony, you going to forget all he's done for you?"

I hear the two car doors shut and realize that Dom is driving, or he better be for Tony's sake. I will not tolerate druken driving.

"I didn't forget", Tony says quietly, "But man, I also didn't forget some of the shit he put me through you know?"

"Oh cry me a fucking river. My heart bleeds for you."

"He used to beat me Dom", Tony says deadpan. "Like with a lot of shit."

"They all used to beat us", Dom cries back, "That's just how it was. You don't turn your back."

"I didn't", Tony replies earnestly, "But it was different. You had Connie, Monica, and your mom, and your grandma all living in the house. You had people, I didn't. I didn't have anyone to go to; it was just me and him. And Dom, it wasn't my fault. You know he blamed me for my mom's death."

"Let me get out my violin."

"Dom", Tony tries again, and I can hear the desperation in his voice, "I was infected with the fucking plague, I was on my deathbed, and no one even called. My boss was the one with me the entire time, not my father, not my family, not you."

"Yeah", Dom screams and I hear beeping in the background, "You son of a bitch, you were dying and you know how we had to find out, by the fucking television you asswipe. You should have called!"

"I should have called", Tony cries incredulously, "I was too busy dying!"

"Oh shove it" Dom screams back, "Your precious boss think to call us? What do they not honor the whole next of kin thing down in the south?"

His speech is full of hate and hurt, and as much as I dislike Dominic Leone, because I find him to be truly repulsive, I have to give him credit for at least broaching some of these issues with DiNozzo.

"Gibbs is my next of kin."

There is silence and I hear what I presume to be Dom shoving Tony into the window. It's vague in my memory but I'm pretty sure that Dominic Leone used to be Tony's next of kin.

"I hate him", Dom finally says.

"That's okay", Tony says, "You don't have to like him, and I don't have to like to pretend that there is not something going on."

Well shit.

"What are you talking about", Dom says.

"Something is up", Tony replies casually, "Something. I don't know what it is, but I know it's something."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Va bene" I hear Tony sigh. "You have my number."

"You leaving tomorrow?"

"I think I was supposed to, but nonno wants to talk to me. I think it's about my dad. He's sick isn't he?"

Well this isn't what I was expecting. Apparently Dominic also wasn't expecting this because he's silent on the other end.

"Babe", he says affectionately, "You got to talk to the man, not my place you know?"

"S'alright", Tony slurs, "I know. But can you tell me what the hell Carmine has gotten into?"

There is silence.

"Why you think there's a problem with Carmine?"

"There were cops at that party Dom", Tony says, "And they took a keen interest on him."

"Tony", Dom says, "You're drunk. You seeing things man."

"Dom", Tony starts, "Whatever, just forget it. He's got to watch his ass."

Dom in return turns on some music instead. I recognize the song as Frank Sinatra's "My Way". How appropriate. The two listen for a while longer in silence until the last "my way" where they both sing it and hold the note out laughing. I hear the car coming to a stop and the radio is turned off.

"Just stay a bit longer" I hear Dominic saying, "I miss you man."

"You could always visit me you know. I really love dancing man."

I guess that never occurred to Dominic Leone because he seems to jump on the idea.

"I'm welcome?"

"Duh", I hear Tony say, "Dude, you're family."

I hear someone rummaging around, banging, and then DiNozzo saying "yes please". I realize the two are smoking. Great. DiNozzo is going to smell wonderfully upon his return.

My phone goes off, and read the text message.

Fornell:

De Luca's personal computer has video of Meagan tied up and crying hysterically.

I need a drink, badly.

I hear another phone go off and start searching until I realize that it's either Dom's or Tony's.

"Yeah man" I hear Dom talking, "Yeah he's still here. Why you ask?"

A pause.

"No fuck that man, we're going to bed. Talk to him tomorrow. You'll see him at the funeral. Talk then."

A longer pause.

"How fucking important could it possibly be?"

A quick pause.

"So, the hell you need Tony for?"

"I'll talk to him", I hear Tony saying.

"You don't even know who the fuck it is", Dom responds back agitated.

"Who is it", Tony asks.

"Fucking Jamie, he's freaking out about something with Carmine."

"He wants me", and I can't help but wince at the too eager question.

"Hey", I hear Dom yelling, "You, you shut up. You see me talking on the phone, this does not involve you."

"But he wants me", Tony whines.

"Here take your medicine", Dom responds and I hear drinking.

"Dom, Dom, Dom, Dom"

"Shut the fuck up", I hear Dom scream, "What is wrong with you? Look Jamie, I have to go, go to bed and sleep it off, you are fine, Carmine is fine, everything is just peachy."

I hear a phone shut, and what I presume to be Tony getting punched again.

"Hey", DiNozzo says, "Where are my pants?"

"Now why would I know that", Dom asks.

"I don't know, it's just something that I feel you should have let me know before we got this far."

"We are not going back."

"I have no pants!"

"I'm sorry you said you get a gun at your job right?"

"Shut up, I'm very competent."

"Get out."

"There is snow on the ground!"

"Tony", I hear him breathing deeply, "Get out."

"I need pants!"

"No, no you don't. It's like five feet from the car."

"I represent success! Success needs pants!"

Well at least I know he listens to me.

"No seriously, what is wrong with you?"

"Pantless!"

"I swear I'm going to kill you, with my bare fucking hands. I'm going to kill you."

"Pants!"

"Fine!"

I hear more rummaging.

"Here, wear these."

"Those are not mine."

Ooh, that sounded like three punches.

The phone rings again.

"Jamie what" Dom bellows.

Another pause.

"He's where?"

Silence.

"What the fuck for?"

Another pause.

"Ah he's a fucking jack ass."

I hear DiNozzo screaming, "Hi Jamie!"

"Look Jamie, you know the drill, hell he knows the drill too, tell him to lawyer up, tell him to say nothing."

Shit, what the hell?

"They're releasing him, well that's good no? They must not have any shit, or it's all, fuck what's the word, circum something."

"Circumcised", Tony offers.

"Yeah circumcised", Dom replies, "Wait no, fuck no, you friggin idiot, circumstantial."

"Look Jamie, Jamie, calm down, just listen to me, they don't have nothing. If it was serious they wouldn't let him go."

A quick pause.

"Yeah maybe Tony can do something, but not right now man, he's wasted. I'll come over in a bit okay, I'm dropping the retard off now."

I go to grab my phone to call Fornell, but as I open to call him I get a text message.

Fornell:

Arrested Carmine on drug charges, letting him go with a trail. BTW your boy was spotted hanging out with him at the same party.

Wonderful, fucking A.

Tomorrow is going to be a delight. I pack up my equipment, and pretend to go to bed.

I hear banging on the door and drunken laughing followed by a body collapsing.

"Gibbs", screams Tony.

Oh he better not be thinking that I am going to put up with this.

I open the door and find Tony on his ass staring up at me. He is wearing a different shirt, that is buttoned in the wrong spots, different pants that are unzipped, and there is a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"Hi", he exclaims.

I bend down and help him up. He doesn't seem to realize that we are moving and just keeps on talking. I sit him down on his bed and begin to take off his shoes. It's just faster if I do it myself.

I take the cigarette out of his mouth and throw it out.

"Gibbs, Gibbs", he tells me excitedly, "I went dancing!"

Okay so apparently Tony loves dancing. Really really loves dancing. Why he never goes back at home is beyond me, but he truly loves it. The entire night he was pushing to hurrying up to get to the dance floor.

"Have fun", I ask. I already know the answer.

He throws his back on the bed.

"Oh man", he says happily, "So much fun. I love dancing Gibbs."

I haven't seen him this relaxed and at ease in such a long time, I just hope that they aren't using him, I really do.

"Well cowboy", I say, "We have to be at the church by ten, let's see how much you love it tomorrow."

"No Gibbs", he corrects me, "I love it at anytime."

I roll my eyes. This is pointless. His shoes and socks are removed and by this point he takes my lead and disrobes himself. I help him with the buttons and give him some sweats to sleep in.

"Psst Gibbs", he tells me, "Buonanotte."

"Good night Tony", I respond. And for the first time in a long time I go to bed with a smile on my face.

I turn the lights off and pray that tomorrow won't be horrific.

Tony wakes up at five, stumbles out of bed, straight to the bathroom and pukes.

I get up and meet in there after five minutes or so.

"Hey boss", he says weakly arms wrapped around the toilet.

"Still worth it", I ask him.

He looks up at me smiling, "Oh hell yeah."

Before I can say another word he pukes again.

"You should have fuckin seen this broad", he says.

"Which one", I say absentmindedly ignoring the profanity.

"What", he asks.

Thankfully I'm saved as goes another round with the toilet.

"Boss", he says his voice straining, "We went dancing."

Again with the damn dancing.

"Take a shower DiNozzo", I tell him gruffly, "I'm going back to bed."

"Sir, yes sir."

Smartass.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thank you for the reviews, and a million thanks again to thunderincrimson for the amazing translations. Thank you again!

*There is Italian dialogue in this but the translation is not right next to statements because it is not Tony's point of view. For those that are interested the translation it is posted below.

Survival Italian"

Mia madre: My mother

Certo: Of course

Capo: Boss

We arrive at the church at 9:50, and as we are about to get out of the car I get another text from Fornell.

"Hey Tony", I tell him, "I'll catch up with you okay?"

He looks at me curiously.

"Why?"

"Hey", I say pointing to one of his cousins, "Go, have fun."

He looks and sees some dark-haired girl scantily dressed, who I believe is Monica. He dashes out to her. I flip open my phone and read.

Fornell:

Phone recording of Elena Brunelli with Donna Brunelli two days ago. FBI raiding church shortly.

Oh shit. So Brunelli's not dead. Wonderful. I get up and look around. This I know is not going to go well and I damn the FBI. I understand that a child is missing, but that does not excuse what they are going to do. I am not religious. But I am American. This is a church, this is a holy place, and it shouldn't be violated in the manner it is about to be. They are going to make a scene and embarrass this family just to be vindictive. And on another note? This is bad for DiNozzo. If Elena is in on it, they are going to assume that Tony is as well because she called him up.

I walk into the church and search for DiNozzo, he's sitting down looking crestfallen. Dominic is next to him speaking softly. I enter the pew on the opposite side.

"Tony", I ask.

"My dad", he says and points to man that is almost a spitting image of DiNozzo.

"You talk to him?" How long was I gone?

"I don't want to talk about it right now Gibbs", Tony says dangerously.

If that isn't enough of an indication to get out of space I don't know what it is. Apparently Dominic doesn't know this.

"Tony", Dominic says, "He's just surprised to see you, that's all, he's in shock you know? He'll come around. He said hello. What the hell more you want?"

Tony shoves Dominic away from him, and to my surprise, Dominic lets him. I scoot over a bit to give Tony some space. Tony is a quite mercurial character and with his changing moods so do his needs. The best way to get through to DiNozzo is physical contact, but right now he is having none of it. And I know better than to try. I look up and see Peter DiNozzo staring at us. His glare might rival mine. His white hair is slicked back and his clothing looks expensive. He's an attractive man and I can see where Tony got his looks from. However his eyes are different than DiNozzo's. For one they are sky blue, and for two they are hard and calculating. His persona is much different than the rest of the family's. He looks ruthless and intelligent. I don't see this man laughing much unlike the rest of the family.

He doesn't know who I am or why I am so close to his son, and I can see that for whatever the reason it shakes him. In fact it shakes him so much that he walks up to us before the ceremony begins. Tony's head shoots up at the presence of his father.

"Dad", he says.

"Anthony, Dominic", he says coolly, and then to me, "I don't believe I know you."

I stand up, and stick my hand out.

"Mr. DiNozzo", I say, "My name-"

"It's DiNozzo" (DiNotzo), he responds sharply.

"Mr. DiNozzo", I respond with the Italian pronunciation, "My name is Jethro Gibbs."

He doesn't take my hand.

"Your name tells me nothing", he says, "Why are you here with my son?" I might be a bastard and not so good with feelings, but I'm damn good at spotting them in other people, and right now? Right now Peter DiNozzo is jealous.

Tony stands up, "Dad", he says tiredly, "He's a good friend. He came all the way up from Virginia with me."

"Some friend", he scoffs, "Can't even say your last name correctly. Or have you abandoned your heritage as well?"

"Padre", Tony says slipping into Italian, "Basta per piacere."

"Questo è un avvenimento di famiglia" he father says while glaring at me.

I do not appreciate intentionally being left out of the conversation, nor do I like that it was DiNozzo that initiated it, however I understand that he is embarrassed, so I let it go. For now.

"È un buon amico ed era un lungo viaggio ."

"Questo non importa", spits the elder DiNozzo.

"Cosa vuoi da me?" Tonys asks desperately his voice raising. I have no idea what he is asking, but I can tell he's hurt. His hands come out and hit his chest.

"Mi dispiace", he continues, "Sapevo che sarebbe stato un errore."

Their voices are getting louder, and I realize that soon the FBI is going to be pouring into this place.

"Non posso crederci", yells his father.

Dominic stands up and adds his two cents.

"Ehi", he says, "Basta. Siamo in una chiesa!"

Both DiNozzo's stare at him before the elder erupts.

"Oh, mi scusa", he says hands going wild, "Oh, scusa", he says hands going wild, "Non avevo realizzato di essere in presenza di San Domenico!"

San Domingo. Saint Dominic. Apparently "Saint Dominic" has a mother who also heard that remark and DiNozzo's "heart attack waiting to happen" aunt comes over screaming at Peter DiNozzo.

"Ehi", she yells pointing her finger, "questo è mio figlio!"

"Oh per favore Luisa", Peter sighs.

A woman with light brown hair comes up to the conversation and thankfully she is speaking English.

"Hey", she says, "What is going on? My mother is dead, I would hope that my family could at least have some semblance of respect!"

Ah, so this would be Elena.

DiNozzo senior huffs and walks away angrily.

Louisa screams, "Non era io! Antonio, tuo padre è un bastardo!" And she too walks away angrily.

Bastardo. I got that one too.

DiNozzo's, my DiNozzo's face is red, and his eyes angry. It's always his eyes that give him away. He's humiliated and pissed, which is probably the worst combination for him. I'll give him space for the moment, but we will talk later, especially about the Italian. We are a team, and I will not intentionally be left in the dark regardless of the reasoning.

"Anthony", Elena says and breaks into tears.

Tony steps around us in the pew and goes to her.

"Mi dispiace", he tells her sincerely, "So, so sorry."

Watching Elena so convincingly lie reminds of DiNozzo under cover. It's too believable. She's good. She small in stature, and has light brown hair falling onto her shoulders. She's not as good looking as the rest of them, and it seems as if she knows it. Her attire is conservative and there is no indication of flair.

"I need to speak with you", she tells him "After the funeral."

"Certo", Tony says easily, "Whatever you need, and Elena I'm so sorry about your mom. Aunt Donna was a good lady."

She nods and leaves us. Tony turns around to face me but before he can start his apologies, which I know are coming, Dominic starts in.

"I need a smoke."

"You can't smoke in a church", Tony says absently.

"I need one", he repeats.

"So go outside", Tony says exasperated.

"It's friggin three below zero, did you her about the wind chill?"

"I don't know what you want from me", Tony says.

"Smoke with me", Dominic says as the three of us sit.

"In the church", Tony cries, continuing to ignore me.

"Yeah", Dominic says while pulling the cigarettes out, "Fighting makes me need to smoke. Smoke with me so they can't just yell at me."

"Yeah alright", Tony agrees.

Is he actually kidding me?

"DiNozzo", I say sharply and hit the back of his head.

He looks at me, realizes my objection and sighs.

"Oh", he says, "Look Dom, just go outside."

"I can't!"

"Shut up", Tony finally yells, "Questo è il mio capo, ti dispiace?"

The Italian is unacceptable. Me and him are going to have a long talk later. Here, however is not the time.

"Fine", Dominic says dramatically, "I'll drink myself to death."

He takes out some drink, and then passes it to Tony who goes to drink it as well.

"No DiNozzo", I say.

Apparently that's enough because he passes it back to cousin brokenly. I pretend to miss the glare that Dominic is giving me.

Allow me to make it known now. I do not like Dominic Leone. He is loud and obnoxious. Tony is also loud and obnoxious but Tony is well, Tony is charming. Dominic is not. Perhaps I am being too harsh, I glance over to reevaluate and confirm my initial findings. He looks like a bouncer, a meathead. He skin coloring is a tad darker than DiNozzo's and his hair is jet black with evidence of a tight curl. He is huge stature which fits his personality I suppose. The clothing however is intolerable. Black pants, fine, acceptable. However that is as far as I come to approving him. Black t-shirt with a black leather jacket thrown over him and a large golden cross and sunglasses. It's not even sunny out.

Are the sunglasses entirely necessary?

I am tolerating him however because he means too much to DiNozzo, and I know damn well that if I say anything condemning his cousin he will crushed.

I suppose that while I would never want to be around Dominic, I can muster up some respect for him because he despite the family decision to cut DiNozzo out continued to call, and seeing the fraternal way he caters to DiNozzo I can't truly hate him.

"Amazing Grace" starts in and we all stand, and as the priest makes his way to the altar around the casket, I get a text.

Fornell:

One minute.

And good to his word, within in one minute, all doors of the church are flooded with FBI and police screaming.

They flood the church and bark that we all sit.

"The fuck is this", cries Dominic.

"Boss", Tony looks at me questioningly, "What the hell?"

Why does he assume that I know?

Peter DiNozzo however does not sit but stands.

"This is a church", he cries, "And this is a funeral!"

"My mother is dead", cries Elena, "You sons of bitches! What are you doing?"

A young woman stands up and confronts someone who looks like the ringleader. She is sharply dressed in a black dress with appropriate black heels and a black coat down to her knees. Her skin is as dark as DiNozzo's and hair darker. She yells at everyone to say nothing.

"My name is Simona Parsano", she states, "I am an attorney."

"We said sit down", cries an FBI agent.

He grabs her roughly and pushes her into a pew.

Tony is up in a moment.

"Hey", he screams, "You don't touch her!"

"DiNozzo", I bark, "Sit down."

I go to grab him, but it's too late. He already wormed his away around Dominic and is going straight to the source. I realize I'm getting slow and pursue after him.

He shoves his badge into the agent's face, and demands to be spoken with. The priest also makes his way to the officers in charge.

"This is a church", the priest begs, "You cannot come in here and assault these people! This is a funeral!"

"I will sue you", cries Simona, "You will regret this day I assure you. You don't realize who you are messing with."

I watch Tony and quickly he starts putting the pieces together. He walks up to the altar and grabs the microphone positioned for the lector.

"Hey", he yells, "Everyone say nothing! They have under cover agents in here, they've been following us since last night!"

Simona eyes him and runs up to join him.

"Everyone in this church is under counsel", she declares, "Is that understood?"

The officers ignore them and continue to search through the church. They then go to the coffin.

"No", shrieks Elena, "Mia madre, oh god no!"

Tony and Simona charge the officer but before they can stop him he has already pulled open the basket.

This can't possibly end well. They already know Brunelli isn't dead, this to me is overkill. Except there is someone in the casket. I squeeze in closer thrusting my own badge to them, and oh God help us all.

There's a body in here alright. It's Meagan Broome.

Tony and Simona get to the casket and gasp.

"The hell", Simona cries, "Who the hell is this?"

Tony says nothing but I can see he is equally shocked. He snaps out of it and looks over to Carmine.

He is being arrested for the murder of Meagan Broome along with James.

Carmine is protesting and shouting, "What, what did I do? I didn't do anything!"

James screams also, "Hey I didn't kill nobody, what you talking about?"

The officers drag them to the coffin.

Both gasp. They had no idea. Unless of course they are as good as Elena and Tony. But my gut reaction? They didn't do this.

"What the fuck", cries Carmine, "Is that fucking Meagan?"

"Shit", cries James, "Where's Aunt Donna? The hell is going on? We didn't kill her!"

Simona steps in, "Shut up", she scathes, "You two say nothing, do you understand me?"

"We didn't kill her", James shouts, "We didn't do this!"

The officers start dragging the two away with Simona screaming. I find Mary on her knees sobbing as officers also approach her.

"They are under counsel, they speak to no one! They waive no rights!"

I look over at Elena, and her reaction is shock as well. She is slumped in the pew looking dead ahead. I don't think any of them knew that Meagan Broome was in that coffin, which of courses raises many questions. The rest of the congregation is shouting and gasping and crying, and the church has become chaos incarnate.

A lighter skinned family member, with light brown hair rushes to Tony and grabs him. I can't hear what they are saying but I see Tony nodding and this man leading Tony out of the church.

I grab Dominic, "Who is that man with Tony", I bark.

He looks in that direction and tells me, "Frankie"

"Brunelli", I question.

"Yeah" he says absently. I dash off to catch my agent before he can get sucked into this.

As soon as I get to the doors I see cameras and journalists everywhere waiting to cover the breaking new story. No way Tony left this way, I duck around and see that the church is connected to a school building. I pass through that way and listen for any indication that Tony has come this way.

I hear the FBI evacuating the quite angry family and telling them it is a crime scene. The priest is also having a fit, but none of this concerns me. The one person that does I can't seem to find.

Finally something.

"So what do you want me to do", I hear Tony say.

"Tony please", Frankie starts, God why do all of these people have such annoying nicknames, "She's my mother."

"Yeah man", I hear him say, "Anything I can do."

I walk into the room.

"DiNozzo", I start, "Let's go, right now."

Surprisingly he comes immediately.

"Frankie", he says, "I'll call you later, I have to go right now and help Simona out with Carmine and Jamie."

He nods, "But Tony, tonight."

"Yeah man", he replies, "See you."

He come with and starts to rush off, "Hey boss, I'm going to go to the station and see if I have any weight over there, okay?"

"DiNozzo", I tell him, "You stay out of this."

He looks at me incredulously.

"They just arrested two of my cousins on murder charges at my Aunt's funeral!"

Actually it was murder, kidnapping, and torturing charges, but he doesn't need to know that right now.

"DiNozzo", I tell him, "You do not go anywhere near them, do you understand me? You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

And his eyes begin to smolder over.

"Gibbs", he says, not boss mind you, "Why did you come up with me?"

Kid is too damn smart.

"Tony", I tell him, "There is very strong evidence suggesting they are guilty."

"And you know this", he asks.

Time for a different tactic.

"What did Frankie want?"

"Why do you care?"

"Tony", I grit, "Answer the damn question."

"He wanted to me to help him find his mother's damn body, in case you missed it, she wasn't in her coffin! Gibbs, what is going on?"

I am interrupted as an officer comes around the corner.

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo?"

We both turn around.

"Yeah", Tony says suspiciously.

"We are going to need you to come with us."

"Why", Tony asks defiantly.

"For questioning", he says, "Sir please follow me."

Like Hell. I step in front of DiNozzo.

"No", I say, "You have an arrest warrant?"

"No sir", he replies. He looks shaken, well good.

"Then you don't talk to my agent."

"Wait", Tony says stupefied, "You want me for questioning? Me? What the hell did I do?"

I turn around and step right into his breathing space.

"Tony", I say, "Shut up."

He backs down and nods.

"You want to talk to him", I say pointing at DiNozzo, "You get a warrant."

"Do not leave town."

"I don't live here", cries DiNozzo, "I live seven hours away!"

"Do not leave town sir."

And before DiNozzo can protest I drag him out and away from the scene into the mob waiting outside. We drive in silence to the hotel parking lot. He refuses to make my eye contact with me, and has yet to say anything. Little bastard is waiting me out. Fine, I guess it is warranted. I park the car in the hotel parking lot and wait.

"Have you been lying to me", he asks me, and damn does he ever sound dangerous.

"DiNozzo", I say quietly, "You don't talk to me like that."

And if he's mad now, just wait until I tell him about the recording device. The kid wears his heart on his sleeve, because no one ever told him to reign in his temper. Well no one until me. I also however know how stressful this week has been for him, and how much he detests liars. It's ironic too because he is one of the best liars I have ever met. He takes the admonishment well, but stands strong and does not back down or crumble.

"Why did you accompany me up here", he asks.

"I received Intel from Fornell", I tell him, "Regarding the abduction of Meagan Broome and that your family was suspected."

"Fornell just told you this?"

"He owed it to me."

He processes this and apparently finds the answer satisfactory.

"Who specifically are they targeting?"

"Carmine and James De Luca. Maybe Christian."

"Why did they want to question me?"

"There has been no crime scene until today. They believe that the brothers wouldn't know how to hide this by themselves."

"They suspect me in aiding them?"

"Yes, but I don't know to what degree. Everyone in the family is under suspicion."

I leave out the mafia suspicion. He is unyielding and plows through to the next question.

"What evidence do they have?"

I sigh and go through the whole thing starting from the feud between Mary and Meagan.

He's quiet and unflinching as he processes the information.

"So where's my aunt's body", he asks me.

"Well", I say, "That's part two, and they are unsure." In a more gentle tone, "Tony, your aunt isn't dead."

"Don't sugarcoat this", he screams at me, "Tell me everything you know."

I'll excuse the outburst, because to be honest? I should have known better. Tony has no defense for kindness, he doesn't know how to react to it. That's why being so harsh with him is the best way to handle him.

"FBI has been tracing many of the calls", I tell him and I swear his eyes are getting darker, "And there was one recently put in by Elena and your aunt."

"What were they discussing?"

"I don't know", I respond, "I'm assuming it wasn't relevant because Fornell didn't tell me the information was damning."

"What does that have to do with Meagan Broome?"

"Other than her being in the coffin? I don't know and neither does the FBI."

He's silent but I can hear him thinking in his head. He's trying to put it all together.

"Why didn't you tell me", he asks.

Well that's the million dollar question now isn't it Tony?

"I didn't want you getting involved", I tell him, "Any action on your part is going to damage your career. NCIS cannot have agents defending the suspects especially on a case that it is getting national coverage. I was covering your ass."

"They're my family Gibbs", he says quietly like that explains everything. "Do you have the directions?"

"Where are we going", I ask him.

"To the police station, my cousins are there."

"DiNozzo", I tell him real quietly, "Maybe you aren't understanding me here. You are going back to the hotel, and you are not leaving that room. The senator is ready to crucify anything in his path, and if you go in there defending your cousins, who by all counts seem guilty, you are going to pay for something you had nothing to do with."

"You don't know that they're guilty", he says but I can see that even can't believe that.

"The evidence is very strong", I tell him, "And Tony, it doesn't matter. They think that they're guilty and they are going to be holding grudges, you cannot go there."

He picks up a phone and starts dialing. "They didn't kill that girl, I don't know about the rest of it, but they didn't kill her, and there are way too many gaps in this starting with my Aunt missing. We don't have the whole picture."

"Who are you calling", I ask.

"Simona", he tells me, "She's a lawyer and she should be down there right now."

"Tony", I hear her yell on the other end with a bit more screaming.

"Simmy", he says, "What's going on? Alright, alright. Did they bring them in for questioning yet?" A pause. "Don't let them talk yet, I'm coming Simona. You tell them to give me a professional courtesy and wait for me. If they are going to arrest them you let them, but don't let them talk. They say nothing unless I am in the room."

He hangs up the phone and pockets it.

"DiNozzo", I bark, "Did you not just hear what I said?"

"Sorry boss", he says, "But this is family."

"Tony", I say, "You are not going down there, so help me God."

"If this was such a concern" he says, "Why didn't you protest more my going out with Carmine and Dom? I would have stayed if you had asked me too."

Shit.

"I planted a bug on you."

He looks at me, and he is pure unadulterated fury.

"You did what", he screams.

"Hey", I yell right back, "I was watching your ass. I had to know that you weren't going to do something stupid!"

"I don't care", he yells back, "You don't do that to people Gibbs! Fuck Gibbs, that's fucked up!"

His accent has completely permeated his speech and now apparently he is back to adopting a more New York way of speaking.

"You watch how you talk to me", I say dangerously, "I will not tolerate insubordination or disrespect, you understand me?"

It's not because I'm his boss, and he works for me, it's because I'm the closest thing he has to a father and he's the closest thing I have to a son, and he desperately needs someone in his life to hold him accountable.

"You heard everything", he ask incredulously. And before I can answer he realizes what exactly I had heard last night as he runs through his night. He throws his head into his hands. "Oh my God, oh my fucking God. This is not happening. You had no fucking right Gibbs, that shit was private!"

I can tell he is embarrassed, for what exactly I'm not sure. But it doesn't matter. I grab his ear and hold it, "Watch your mouth DiNozzo."

"Let me the fuck go", he says struggling, but I don't let up, "Let me go Gibbs! You can't just do this to people!"

If this were any other man I would have hit him. In the Marines that's how things were handled with people like DiNozzo. DiNozzo doesn't respond to words; he's good manipulating and playing around words, no matter what someone says he can change it and distort it. No, with someone like DiNozzo you have to be in their personal space and you have to be physical, because if you aren't able to do that, they will run rings around you.

In the Marines I saw others physically punished because it was the only way to get through to them. If he were any one else, I would have punched him by now, or at least banged his head against the window, but he's not anyone else.

He's been abused. That makes things difficult. I don't care how flippant Dominic Leone was about they were raised as children, I went through Tony's reports when I first hired him and I saw the abuse that went on in his house. He once spent a week in the hospital. And also? Being whipped as child tends to stay with you. I'm not saying it was his father, a few were I'm sure, but from what I've gathered the intense ones were from the staff that Peter DiNozzo left in charge of his son. Being abused by different people like that isn't something you forget.

So there is always this dilemma. I have to do something to him physically, but I have to walk a very fine line.

In anger and fear I once raised my hand to him, not the normal head slaps, but after he had pulled a ridiculously dangerous stunt and I had lost my headspace and forgot what I was doing. Before I could strike him, he had cowered and was on the verge of hyperventilating. I had pulled my hand back and realized what had happened. Although I should also note he kept eye contact, which is another reason why I admire him. It doesn't matter if he's terrified, even when his gut reaction and reflex was responding to an overwhelming fear, he was still so stubborn that he still challenged me with his eyes. It was the only time I ever apologized professionally to another. I had crossed a line that day.

And as a side note? The head slaps? That in and of itself took at least a year before he was comfortable. It was part of my way to wean him back to normality. I'm sure any psychiatrist wouldn't approve of my methods, but they don't know DiNozzo. DiNozzo needs to be challenged constantly and I give him that. Because if he's not challenged and if he can't find a reason to respect someone, then he's hell on wheels.

So back to my dilemma, I have to get through to him physically but in a way that does not make him have flashbacks. Another tip I have learned is to always keep myself in his eyesight. If I go out of his eyesight he gets nervous, which is understandable considering that those whip lashes were all on his back. I have learned that as long as I do not strike him or do anything too quick, he's okay. I can overwhelm his body without producing that intense reaction.

"Stop struggling" I tell him, "Knock it off DiNozzo."

I reach over to his seat and put in the best headlock I can considering the circumstances.

"Calm down" I order.

He keeps struggling, but my training outweighs his and finally his body limps and the fight in him disappears. I hold him close for a minute after to reassert my authority, and to be honest, just to hold the kid, because this is as close he'll ever let me get to him.

Finally I release him and return to my seat in the car.

"You need to take a few minutes" I ask him.

It's something I started with him a while ago; take a few minutes before he says things he might regret. I feel that if he just processed things instead of just reacting he wouldn't get into so many problems in his personal or professional life. When I first met him he was filled with so much anger, and DiNozzo had a very difficult time controlling it. This gives him a way to calm down.

"Yeah, I'll meet you back in the room", he finally says.

I get out of the car to respect his privacy and start walking back to the room until I hear a strange sound.

A car starting.

DiNozzo isn't in the passenger seat anymore, but the driver's. He doesn't try to hide from me but looks right out at me and mouths "I'm sorry."

I run back to the car to try and open the door, but they are locked, and before I know it he's driving off.

That little bastard just worked me! Well so much for getting through to him. DiNozzo, I hope this little stunt is worth it because you are going to regret this for a very long time. You are to wake up every night sweating in fear because of this decision. When you are on your deathbed and when someone asks if you have any regrets, you'll say "Just one, the time I crossed my boss in the parking lot." You are going to look at your life as before the incident and after the incident, oh you don't even know how much trouble you are in, and just fuck! I am going to kill that little shit. I am actually going to kill him

Italian Translation:

"Questo è un avvenimento di famiglia" he father says while glaring at me. (This is a family event.)

"È un buon amico ed era un lungo viaggio ." (He is a good friend and it was a long trip.)

"Questo non importa", spits the elder DiNozzo. (That isn't important.)

"Cosa vuoi da me?" Tonys asks. (What do you want from me?)

"Mi dispiace", he continues, "Sapevo che sarebbe stato un errore" (I knew that this would be a mistake.)

"Non posso crederci", yells his father. (I cannot believe it.)

Dominic stands up and adds his two cents.

"Ehi", he says, "Basta. Siamo in una chiesa!" (Hey, enough we are in a church!)

Both DiNozzo's stare at him before the elder erupts.

"Oh, scusa", he says hands going wild, "Non avevo realizzato di essere in presenza di San Domenico! (Oh excuse me, I hadn't realized that I was in the presence of Saint Dominic!)

Apparently Saint Dominic has a mother who also heard that remark and DiNozzo's "heart attack waiting to happen" cousin comes over screaming at Peter DiNozzo.

"Ehi", she yells pointing her finger, "questo è mio figlio!" (Hey, that is my son!)

"Oh per favore Luisa", Peter sighs. (Oh please Luisa.)

Louisa screams, "Non era io! Antonio, tuo padre è un bastardo!" (It wasn't me!, Anthony, your father is a bastard!)

"Questo è il mio capo, ti dispiace?" (This is my boss, would you please?)

Please Review!!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thank you so so much for the reviews!!!

Survival Italian:

Mi scusi: Excuse me

Il mio nome: My name

Mio caro: My dear

(Tony)f

Gibbs is going to kill me. He is going to outright kill me. Hopefully in time he'll forgive me, but if he never does I'll understand. I have to do this though. This is family, you back your family. If it was Gibbs in that seat I'd do it for him too. Of course Gibbs would never be accused of killing a senator's daughter, but that's not the point.

Those cops, they will break my cousins, especially since this is such a high profile case. And the only way I'm going to get information is if I dive head first into this. And I don't care what the evidence says, there is no way they killed anyone, especially a sixteen year old girl.

I walk up to the secretary of the station.

"Hello ma'am", I say as sweetly as I can, "I'm counsel for James De Luca, could you please point me to the direction of the interrogation room?"

She looks up and tells me exactly where they are. I walk past the two way room, see a million cops, the senator himself, and surprisingly my father. I push past all of them, and go into the interrogation room. I ignore the angry protests from the police. Simona is standing and both my cousins are sitting looking somber.

"I can take it from here Simona", I tell her, "You go to Christian."

She nods and leaves.

The officer looks at me, "And who exactly might you be?"

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo", I say with a smile and extend my hand. "What might your name be?"

He shakes my hand, but he's unsteady and evaluating me.

"Special Agent George Carter", he says, "You here to relieve me?"

"Oh no sir", I say smiling, "I'm sorry for the confusion but I'm actually here for the defense. These boys here are my cousins."

"DiNozzo", he repeats, "Anthony DiNozzo you said?"

I nod my head.

He touches his earpiece and someone quickly reminds him why my name sounds so familiar to him.

"So", I say, "My cousins are not yet ready to produce a statement."

"Like I was telling your lawyer", he starts.

"Simona", I interrupt him, "Her name is Simona."

"Fine", he says getting flustered, "Simona, like I was telling Simona these two are under arrest and we are not letting them go, so either they talk now or I bring them back to gen pop."

"Jail don't scare me", Carmine shouts, "You don't scare me!"

I bang the table and look directly at my cousin, "You say nothing. Nothing."

He shrugs and goes back to looking like a badass.

I figure its best to get all of the information out now, so I'm going to let him ask his questions. I won't let them answer any of them, but I need information so let the games begin.

"You direct all questions to me Georgie", I say, "I'll help you sort this mess out."

(Gibbs)

I don't remember being this angry in a very long time. I will kill him, I will kill him, I will kill him. I catch a cab, and I will kill him. I walk past the secretary, and I will kill him. I find the action myself, and I will kill him. I walk into the room where I can see my agent in action, and I will truly kill him. Interesting enough I also find DiNozzo senior here. Hell I'll kill him too for producing DiNozzo. I look into to observe.

"You care to explain how there is no evidence Special Agent DiNozzo?"

So apparently they are going to try and take advantage of the little time they have with DiNozzo to get all their questions in.

"Mi scusi?"

Tony is in full arrogance mode, and ready to annoy. He's quite good at this.

"No trace evidence. You and I both know with this video that Meagan Broome died in that room!"

"No", Tony corrects slowly as if he's talking to child, "We know from the video that you just showed me that we can place her in my cousin's shed, not that she was killed there. You can't even prove that the attackers were my cousins, hell you can't even prove that there were attackers! All you have is a video of a girl crying in a shed that has similar qualities to one that my cousins own."

"Special Agent DiNozzo", he grits, "You mafia?"

The reaction is instantaneous. All three cousins jump. The brothers' chairs fall onto the ground and start screaming. Their hands are still cuffed, but they seem to have forgotten that as they try desperately to throw their hands in the air.

"Hey", Tony yells at his cousins, "Sit, you two sit! Non dite niente, nothing, you hear me? Hey, mi avete capito?"

The two grumble and reluctantly sit back down muttering in Italian.

"I", Tony punctuates looking right into Carter's eyes, "Am not mafia. We, are not mafia. My family is not mafia. You have absolutely no evidence that this family could be involved in mafia other than the fact that our last name ends in a vowel."

"You sure Antonio", he cop asks. With extra spite on his name.

"My name", Tony spits out, "Il mio nome, is Anthony Di fucking Nozzo."

Di fucking Nozzo. Yeah that about sums it up. He's so dead when this is over.

"My apologies", Carter responds sarcastically.

"I don't particularly care for this", Tony continues, "Perhaps I should air my greviances with the press."

This time Carter is unfounded.

"What?"

"You are bigoted and streotyping me based on my ethnicity", Tony continues smugly, "Wait until I shout from the mountain tops that the NYPD and the fucking FBI is accusing of a wealthly Italian family of mafia connection based on those two facts alone. You have no evidence. Officer Carter, what did you say your first name was again, I want to make sure I have it right before I speak to the reporters. George isn't it?"

"Now wait a minute", Carter starts, "You can't do that."

If this was my operation I would have pulled Agent Carter a while ago and have yelled at him for being so unguraded to let DiNozzo annoy and get him so off point.

"Watch mio carof", Tony says while regaining his footing in the room, "You might want to sit down because you just might get a tad dizzy with all the spinning I'm about to do. Wealthy Italian family wrongly accused of mafia connections after white senator's daughter goes missing with no evidence! Preferntial treatment showed to white victim over Italian rape victim. Police accuse Special Agent of mafia connections because of his ethnicity, imagine what they do to those who are just plain civilians! FBI illeglly charges into church to wrongly accuse grieving family! FBI assault funeral attenders in church!"

"Meagan Broome's body was in that coffin! How do you explain that?"

"I don't have to", DiNozzo shoots right back, "That's your job, your job is prove guilt, and you have yet to show anything concerete. There were at least a hundred people in that church, including your cops and agents."

"Shut up DiNozzo", he screams, "You listen here, it's either it was mafia or it was you!"

That silences DiNozzo only temporarily.

"And exactly how do you figure that?"

"Either mafia became involved to clear that crime scene so perfectly, or you did. And since you have clearly stated that your family is not mafia that leaves no option now doesn't it? Her body was mutilated, and we can't find any blood!"

"You are forgetting one other option", Tony says smiling.

"And what would that be?"

Tony fingers for him to come closer. He puts his hand up to Carter's ear like he's telling a secret, and voice gets real low.

"Or", he starts then takes away his hand and screams to the two way glass, "They didn't do it."

"Oh they did it", Carter spits back, "That's all you got? We have them on tape leaving the scene with her-"

"Yes" Tony cries, "Leaving willingly." He takes a breath and puts on his patronizing face, "Georgie, you are forgetting things now, we already went through this. Getting old in you age?"

"Georgie" is about DiNozzo's age, but he's too pissed to be thinking logically and gets insulted all the same.

"She had no idea what their intentions were!"

"She left willingly."

"We pulled a video of her crying from their computer!"

"That video was put online, a million people saw it! And additionally that video does not show her attackers. It's not enough. You also pulled a video from her phone of my cousin being raped! Or did we forget that little detail?"

"Yes but Mary didn't end up dead!"

"And they didn't kill Meagan! Here's a tidbit, Italians don't touch women!"

Carter laughs in face, "Spare me please."

Tony sees how weak the argument is, but I know that to him that's all the evidence he needs. Tony trusts that his cousins wouldn't hurt her physically.

"You want to explain how her corpse ended up in your aunt's coffin?"

"Do you have any evidence that we put it there?"

Silence.

"That means no", Tony says confidently, "That means you have no forensic evidence that shows any semblance of us putting that body into that coffin."

"You don't seem too concerned regarding the whereabouts of your aunt", Carter says, "Is it perhaps because she isn't dead? Or because you already had her buried."

"I'm not answering that", Tony replies, "Until I see all the forensic evidence. After I see the reports I happily explain to you what happened since you can't seem to do that yourself too well."

Peter DiNozzo is outright chuckling and not too discreetly at that. I see the way he is looking at his son, there is a new found respect and admiration for Tony.

"That's my boy", he tells me.

I nod my head. Apparently he is no longer angry with me.

"Some things never change", he tells me, "This is what he was like as a child. My boy, he's smart eh?"

"Very", I say.

"He's got personality too", he tells me, "He got that from my wife Rosemarie. I'm smart now too Mr. Gibbs, but I never had that fire, not like my Rosie, or Tony. It's such a shame she died so early. Tony would have really benefitted from knowing her. Sometimes, when I look in his eyes, I see his mother's heart and soul. He was always her son."

"He does have heart", I agree. "You do realize that this could destroy his career."

"What career", DiNozzo responds hastily, "Mr. Gibbs, my son just likes to act out. His supposed career with NCIS is nothing more than him having a temper tantrum. He's just waiting for me to come around and finally tell him that it's okay, and I tell you, the second I do that he'll come running back to New York. But I'm not going to give in, you can't do that Mr. Gibbs, that's not how you negotiate."

I have nothing to say to that, so I settle for looking at him.

"What", he asks me indignantly, "You don't agree?"

"No Mr. DiNozzo", I state, "I don't agree. Your son is brilliant and his investigative skills mirror nothing but excellence. He loves his job sir, and with all due respect, he will not come running back with his tail between his legs. You want to know why? Because when you're good at something, it's addicting, and he's good, and better yet, he knows it."

I take a breath and then decide I only have so much time here that I might as well take advantage of it. Any information could be used to help Tony.

"You dying Mr. DiNozzo?"

The question takes him aback, and for a while he says nothing as we continue to watch the interrogation.

"I am", he says suddenly, "Why do you ask?"

"Your son", I say, "Loves you. Make peace with him. Tell him you're proud of him, tell him that you're sorry for the years lost, tell him that from now on out you'll call and that you expect him to do the same. Tell him that you are going to ignore the past and that he should do the same and only look forward. Your son Mr. DiNozzo, is stubborn and if you confront about his life choices you will not get the desired results. You haven't gotten them so far, so I wouldn't count on it for the future."

"He abandoned his family", he says quietly.

"Oh yeah", I say, "Cause right now it looks like he's defending his family at a great career risk to himself, and it took Mr. DiNozzo, only one phone call."

I turn to face him head on, "Be a father", I say, "Be a father for once in your life to that boy."

The man is dying and because of that his ego seems to have been stripped from him.

"I don't know how", he tells me. "I never did, that was Rosie's job."

"Just tell him you love him."

"He was such a difficult child", he states, "Everyday he came home in trouble, detentions, suspensions, nothing worked on him. He had no respect for me either. You think I'm too hard on him? You don't know what it was like. He was impossible. Sex in the bathrooms with teachers, speeding tickets, drag racing, public intoxication, you have no idea what he put me through. He was such an embarrassment. And then him and Dominic, you have no idea how bad they were together. I tried, I did, but I couldn't fix it. He was out of control, and he didn't listen. He listened to nobody, except maybe Dominic, he's always loved him something fierce. Nothing I did worked, you couldn't punish him hard enough. You couldn't hit him hard enough, there was a point Mr. Gibbs that I thought my son was the antichrist. All I ever had Mr. Gibbs was my business, it was the only thing I've ever done right, and I wanted so badly to share that with him, to give it to him to make up for the crappy job I had done as his father. I thought things would be different, we could work together, we could be together, we could be friends, and he just threw it all in my face. I work like a dog day in and day out and for what? I gave him the nicest clothes, food, cars, money, the world, and he tells me that he wants to go to college in friggin Ohio of all places so he can be a cop. A cop! And Ohio! Who the hell wants to go to Ohio when you're in friggin New York! I love my son Mr. Gibbs, but he gave me no choice."

"Tell him that then", I offer.

He sighs and looks back to the scene unfolding in front of us.

"Those stupid boys", he tells me, "I told their mother that they would end up in jail one day."

"You also told your son he'd end up in the gutter", I say before I can stop myself.

"Yeah", he says like its nothing, "Anthony was always too smart to get caught."

So that was a compliment in his mind, I'll make sure to pass that along some day to Tony.

"I think we are done here for now", Tony says, "They are answering no other questions. I will let you know when I solve this for you."

"You think this is funny", Carter screams, "A man just lost his daughter!"

"I am sympathetic to that fact, but what you are not appreciating is that these two morons sitting here did not do it. I didn't do it. None of us did it. Your bigotry blinds you. I'll keep you apprised. Just so we're clear these two are not to be spoken to without counsel or myself present."

Carter laughs.

"You think it's that easy", he says, "No Agent DiNozzo, you don't get to call the shots."

He motions for someone behind the glass to come forward. Another agent enters the room.

"Agent Wang", he states, "Please take James De Lucas into a separate holding cell. Let's see how loyal they are now to each other."

Agent Wang goes over and forcibly takes James in his hand and leads him out the door.

"You can't be in two places at once DiNozzo", Carter says.

"Jamie", DiNozzo shouts, "You say nothing, you listen to nothing, you say or sign nothing! Do you understand me?"

Despite his tough guy bravado the kid is terrified and nods.

"Jamie", DiNozzo shouts again, "Nothing! You don't listen to them, you only listen to me! He wants a lawyer."

"And he will get one Agent DiNozzo", says Agent Carter, "But he will still be in our custody with our agents escorting him around."

DiNozzo picks up his cell and dashes out of the room following Jamie and Agent Wang.

"Jamie", he says, "They are going to fuck with your head, but you say and sign nothing! You don't listen to anything they say, it's all lies, you do nothing without me or Simona!"

DiNozzo picks up his cell and calls Simona apprising that she is needed in another room.

"You can't do this", DiNozzo shouts to the glass wall where there are several agents and myself watching. "They have rights! They want legal counsel! You pull any tricks with them and I'll know about it, and I'll call you on it in court!"

DiNozzo senior steps out of the room with his phone ready for a presume to be a call to a law office.

Another agent walks into the room. A small blonde thing, but I can tell that she can yield more power and is more dangerous than Carter. She takes the main seat as Carter stands in the background looming over the still seated Carmine. Tony was able to break Carter, I have doubts he will be able to do the exact same to this one.

"Agent DiNozzo", she says, "My name is Linda Blaris. And you are in no position to be making demands."

"Linda", DiNozzo pleads trying to win her over, "There are several gaps missing, and you know that until you can explain you cannot hold them accountable."

"Anthony", she says coyly back to him, "You must understand that the only reason you have not been forcibly removed from this room is because we do not want anyone clamming up. What you just did with Jamie was a grave mistake. We are simply investigating to learn the truth. We also share your zeal in finding out exactly who is responsible for what. You must also understand agent that in addition to Meagan Broome's death an undercover agent has also gone missing in relation to this case. What you are doing, and how you are advising your cousins is obstructing the truth."

"Excuse me Agent Blaris", DiNozzo says, "But my cousins asserting their legal rights is not a mistake. You do not share my zeal as you put it. You have an agenda. Please do not mistake me for an idiot, I know exactly how it is that these things work. Also Linda, you should understand that if you remove me from this room, a lawyer will quickly replace me and his advice will be to say nothing. I am here to help mediate things so we can conclude this. Trust me agent Blaris, agent Carter, you do not want me out of this room."

"You are destroying your career" she responds back calmly.

"I am protecting my family", Anthony says with the same grace. "And I am disabusing these fallacies. A girl is dead, and I want nothing more than to help find her killer. Unfortunately, you do not have them sitting here."

That's my boy. This is why I react so strongly when Tony talks and walks like some playboy. He's smart, he's good, and he's got balls. And when he acts like some child and lets other people treat him like the village idiot, I get angry, and mind you, I get angry at him. He should always present himself in this manner, without the cursing, without the flair and without the ridiculous clothing. And despite how angry I am at him, his loyalty is something that is unbreakable, and I can't help but be proud.

"An undercover agent is missing", she says smoothly, "We fear that he is dead."

Tony runs his hands through his hair, "Ma'am I know absolutely nothing about that so you are going to have to catch me up."

"I have a better idea", she says, "Carmine is it?"

De Luca nods.

"You have been arrested twice before for selling drugs and convicted. Last night you were arrested again. If you were to be tried and convicted you would spend the rest of your life in jail. If you help us now we will cut you a deal."

Carmine looks at Tony nervously.

"Say nothing," Tony quickly advises.

"Carmine" she says again sweetly, "We know you didn't do this. We know that you were in someway involved, but we find it unlikely that you orchestrated this. Mary and Christian go to high school together so we are assuming that is where it started. Christian then went to Jamie, didn't he?"

"Say nothing", Tony repeats again.

"We know that's what happened. You just got pulled into this. We know that you weren't even around enough to have initiated this. And we also know that you are not violent."

She's working him, and she's doing an excellent job at it too, I just hope she isn't working Tony in the process.

"James is the one that has a history of violence. You tell us what we want to know and we will cut you a deal."

"Say nothing", Tony says deeply, and then to Blaris, "I have to speak with my attorney before we consider this."

"Simona Parsano?"

"Yes" Tony repeats.

What the hell? I look at my agent trying to get into his head. What the hell is he pulling? It's not like DiNozzo to sacrifice two to save the one. Especially the most idiotic one at that. I glance over to DiNozzo senior and see he is also confused.

Simona is brought into the room, but Tony takes her outside. When they return Simona speaks.

"Full immunity", Simona states.

"Absolutely not", Blaris replies.

"Oh no?", Simona asks. "And here I thought you would do anything to find this girl's killer. Let's cut the negotiation crap. You and I both know damn well about the public and political pressure your office is under to solve this case as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Trust me Ms. Blaris this is in your best interest. You know he had nothing to do with this. You want Jamie? You want the killer? Fine. We are not dealing for anything less than full immunity on the drug charges, and any involvement regarding Meagan Broome's death, kidnapping, torture, and disappearance of your unnamed agent, and ma'am, you have thirty minutes to draft it up or else we walk."

"I don't think so", Carter shouts at her.

"Thirty minutes", Simona grits out, "Clock is ticking, you better get on it, and as a show of good faith I'll cancel all interviews with the press regarding your intrusion into the church."

She has interviews already? These two are good.

"Give it to them", screams the senator from my end. "I don't care, I want that son of a bitch! Not some third rate drug dealing WOP. You give it to them! That bitch will walk out of here, take advantage of this now!"

The agents in charge try to calm the senator and advise him against it, but he is too upset to care. The lawyers scramble to put together the will in the time constrictions. I still do not see where this is going. I look at Simona and then Tony. Their faces are taught but their eyes are smiling. This could turn out to be quite interesting.

Tony leans down and whispers something into Carmine's ear. Carmine looks at him eyes wide open but nods. Everyone is too busy arranging the agreement and getting new leads on the missing agent that no one else is noticing the three cousins in the room but me.

Within the time limit set by Simona there is an agreement sitting on the table. Simona reads it over and nods to Tony.

"Sign it", Tony tells his cousin.

Carmine does so.

"Thank you Mr. De Luca", agent Blaris says, "Now tell us what we want to know."

I look at Tony and Simona, they're smirking.

"Okay", Carmine says, "I did it"

There is silence on both ends of the room.

"Excuse me", agent Blaris stutters for the first time loosing her cool, "What do you mean you did it, you did what?"

"All of it", Carmine says obnoxiously. "Her fucking boyfriend raped my sister, and this bitch was tormenting her everyday making her relive it. So I did it. I'm the oldest male in the family and it was my job to protect my baby sister. I did that. I acted alone. Now, as I understand it, I can go now right?"

"No", screams Carter, "No you cannot go now! Linda!"

Lawyers frantically run into the room to reread the contract. Under the pressure of thirty minutes and the continuous interruptions set forth by DiNozzo and Parsano the legal team wrote it a bit too hastily. No one expected this.

"You can't do this", Linda says.

"Actually", Carmine says, "My lawyer tells me different. Sim, I'm free right?"

"You're not going anywhere", screams Carter.

And on my end? Peter DiNozzo is laughing quietly to himself clearly enjoying the spectacle. He however he is alone in his joy. The rest of the agents are screaming back and forth, and the Senator has punched the wall and is screaming for DiNozzo's badge.

And as much as I love Tony, and I do love him like a son, its time to involve the team. The senator just lost his daughter; I know what that feels like. He is going to be ready to kill and I trust that his threats to take DiNozzo's badge are not empty. I text quietly in the corner without being noticed to Abbs to very vaguely to tell the team to track down Donna Brunelli and to get their asses up to New York.

One of the lawyers shouts above the rest, "This contract was set in place based off of the evidence that Carmine De Luca would provide us."

"Yes", Tony says, "He did that."

"He is lying", says Linda her voice getting dangerously close to screaming.

"Then arrest him for perjury", Simona states, "Of course you would need evidence of that."

"Fine", Linda yells, "How did you end up putting the body into the coffin? The true killer would know that. Where is your Aunt's body?"

"Don't answer that", says Simona, "You are under legal representation and you answer nothing."

"This is over", Tony says quietly, "Now, I'm going to have to ask you to remove the handcuffs on my cousin."

"And considering how you now have a confession", Simona states, "I'm going to have to ask that you also release Christian and James De Luca. You have nothing on them."

"We are not releasing them", says Linda.

"For the time being", Simona states, "By law, you are going to have to. You have your confession. This is over."

The screaming and panic on my end of the glass could be described as pure insanity. No one on the other side of the glass moves.

"Hey", Tony shouts, "Take off the handcuffs! And best believe that if you do not release James and Christian that we will immediately request a trial, and seeing as how you have no evidence it will only result in further embarrassment."

"You fucking Sicilian nigger", screams Carter and physically lunges himself at Tony.

Well shit.

Security teams run to take him off of DiNozzo. I however stay put. He won't kill him in a room full of a cops and I need to know exactly what is going on.

"That is illegal", cries Simona, "You have just assaulted a federal officer!"

"Yeah", Tony says getting up rubbing his neck from where he was strangled, "There's a penalty for that you know."

Simona starts in again. "If you do not release the three De Luca brothers this instant, we are bringing charges against you personally Officer Carter. And we will then follow with a lawsuit seeking punitive damages which will be sure to include that slur, come on now, how easy are you going to make this for me?"

I see a lot of Tony in Simona, its that throat-strangling cockiness these two share just so perfectly.

Linda Blaris to her credit calms herself and does what it is that they are asking.

I decide to wait for Tony outside in the lobby. DiNozzo senior exits before anyone of them can even say hello to him.

The five come out with people screaming at them. The brothers are whooping and being outright obnoxious, and Simona also shares in the excitement. DiNozzo, he however looks crushed.

The senator comes out and rushes them, "This is not over! They will find something and you will all pay!"

"Your daughter was real good in the sack", James screams at him, "We had real fun!"

The senator pales and rushes off before anyone can see him breakdown.

Tony also reacts to the comment. He grabs Jamie and pushes so hard against the wall that he must be seeing spots.

"That was his daughter", he says and slams his head against the wall again, "Show some fucking respect!"

He walks off angry and leaves the four in his dust. He's about to stomp off out of the place until he sees me. His eyes widen a bit.

"Hey boss", he says shamefaced.

"Come on DiNozzo", I tell him. "Let's get going."

My phone starts vibrating but I don't bother to look. I already know that the director is going to insist on DiNozzo's resignation.

Italian Translation:

"Hey", Tony yells at his cousins, "Sit, you two sit! Non dite niente, notfhing, you hear me? Hey, mi avete capito?" (Say nothing, you understand me?)


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Thank you all so much for the reviews!

We are silent until we reach the hotel room. Well at least I am. He has tried several times to explain himself or to apologize but I silenced him not wanting to hear it before we got back to the room. It's better to just get it all out with interruption and it's better for him that I have time to calm down. We finally enter the hotel room and each go to our respective sides.

"DiNozzo" is shamefaced and quiet, but before he can open his mouth his phone goes.

"Sorry boss", he says quietly and answers.

"Hey Aunt Beatrice", he says, and I can hear a woman crying in the background profusely thanking him. "Hey not a problem", he continues, "Look Aunt Beatrice right now isn't a good time, can I call you back?" The woman continues to talk. "Yeah, no, well I know they didn't do it." A pause, "I'm sure they are good boys. " She continues. "No Mary didn't deserve that." Another pause. "Yeah, okay, uh huh. Look Aunt Beatrice, you just keep them away from the police okay? Make sure the four of them talk to no one, don't let them post nothing on the internet on myspace, facebook, you just tell them to put nothing in writing." Screaming this time, but this one garners a smile from DiNozzo, "Ha yeah I forgot that saying." She keeps going on. "Dinner? I'm not sure what I'm doing right now. Yeah that is my favorite, but no, I don't think I'm going to be able to make it, I got keep on this okay?" I hear more talking on that end. "Aunt Beatrice, are you with Simona right now?" A pause. "Okay good, she'll tell you everything, you do what she says, and Aunt Beatrice, you make sure your sons mind you, I know that Carmine and Jamie are bit too old", and DiNozzo takes a seat on the bed, "But you an Italian momma no?" He smiles again and there is more talking on this lady, he mouths "Sorry boss" to me.

You know you would think it would loose meaning after the hundredth time in one day but each time I feel a pang for him because it is heartfelt and because he is genuine.

"Alright, alright", he says, "Yeah I love you too, I'll call you soon, okay? Ciao."

He puts the phone down on his dresser.

"I'm sorry about that boss", he says, "She's their mom and she's pretty shaken up over the whole thing. She had no idea what was going on passed what happened to Mary. She's devastated."

I come and take a seat on the opposing bed and look at him.

"What was the saying", I ask.

"Huh?"

"The saying you had forgotten?"

"Oh heh", he scratches the back of his head, classic embarrassed DiNozzo, "Sicilians never put things in writing."

"You mean other than immunity papers?", I say icily, "So, what are you doing next?"

He looks up at me, "I", he stutters, "Well, I want to figure this out. If my aunt is alive, I want to find her, and I want to know what happened."

"I have Abby doing that right", I say back.

His jaw drops slightly and looks at me in the eye. Let it never be said that DiNozzo is a coward.

"You had no right to do that", he says quietly, "This is my problem. This is my family, I'll handle it."

I do not respond and let him sweat a bit.

"Boss", he says tiredly, "I don't need everyone knowing my business. I trusted you."

That almost hurts, and he can be as angry as he wants, but I will do what is best for him.

"DiNozzo", I say with the Italian pronunciation, and damn does his head shoot up to attention, "You are part of my family, and whether or not you like it, I will not let you take the fall for something that isn't your fault. You must realize that this isn't over. That chicanery you pulled back there, to be honest DiNozzo, was the stupidest thing you've ever done."

He looks confused.

"Boss", he says, "I thought it was pretty good considering…"

"It wasn't pretty good I say", looming over him, I grab his face and force him to look at me, "It was brilliant."

I let the words sink in for a minute, but I do not let go.

The only way to get through to DiNozzo is physically, and the only possible way to compliment him and make sure that he understands your intentions is to somehow be hurting him so he can't blow it off. DiNozzo responds tactilely, it's a simple as that.

I finally let him go and resume sitting on my bed so we are parallel to each other.

"I don't understand", he said.

"What you did", I said, "Was brilliant, even your father thought so."

"He stayed", Tony perks up.

"Throughout all of it", I say.

"What did he say", Tony asks like a dog begging for water.

"Tony", I say dangerously, "Not now."

He nods and accepts that.

"Now listen to me", I say, "It was stupid because now there are no other suspects. They did it DiNozzo and now the police can't touch them. Who is it do you think they are going to go after next?"

"I didn't kill anyone Gibbs", Tony replies flatly.

"They don't have to charge you for murder" I say, "They can charge for a million other things, like being an accomplice or obstructing justice, or perjury."

"I didn't lie", Tony spits out dangerously.

"You do realize that if they find anything that was said today to be contradictory they will push for perjury right? It doesn't matter if you thought it was truthful at the time."

Tony hangs head.

"The reason I called the team is because I am not letting you take the fall for this. And DiNozzo", I get closer so our knees are touching and pull his tie so his face up close to mine. "You are not investigating this."

He pushes back and stands.

"What?", he yells arms widespread.

I jump up immediately to counter his anger. I need to grab control of this very quickly before he decides that he can defy me too.

"Anything you touch DiNozzo is going to be thrown out, do you understand that? They will accuse you of planting evidence."

"I have to talk to Elena" he finally says, "She knows something, she's the one who got me up here. I can talk to her."

"Tomorrow", I say, "Tonight, tonight we keep it low. We don't want to attract any more attention, do you understand me?"

He looks at me and I can see him considering sneaking out, or just outright leaving. Well now it's time to make a point.

"You got something to say", I yell at him.

His dirty look doesn't leave. I get close to his ear and whisper.

"You wipe that damn look off your face."

He sighs and looks at me again. He knows that this is a game I play with others. Which is unfortunate because if I have to bring this to the next level in order to ground him I will.

"Boss", he says looking at me, "You don't scare me."

And that's the truth. I could never scare Shannon or Kelly either. Everyone else however is not immune. The people that really know me know that I could never hurt them.

So fine, the fear isn't the way to go, especially considering he would take a beating and still do whatever the hell he wanted. So I'll resort to other methods.

DiNozzo is good at handling my anger, so it's time to switch tactics. This is low, but I will protect him no matter what it costs. Tony was neglected as a child, and so all I have to do is simply stop talking before he'll get nervous.

I grab the TV remote and turn on the news. I turn my back to him and start undressing out of my funeral garb. I change into a pair of jeans and a new shirt and then go into the bathroom. I'll stay in here for seven minutes and then come out and see if this attitude problem of his has disappeared by then.

Everyone can be broken, even the strong willed like DiNozzo. But what I'm about to do? I hate mind games, I don't play mind games and I don't allow myself to be the recipient of them, however these are special circumstances and I damn know well DiNozzo is a force of nature to be reckoned with, and the only way to meet him is to screw with him a little. I'm trying to save his career so I figure these are really special circumstances. NCIS cannot have its agents defending and getting suspects off especially those when the victim is a senator's daughter. Especially when it embarrasses our sister agency the FBI. Especially when the crime is this heinous. Especially when the evidence but all counts makes them guilty of something.

I leave the bathroom and then go and lay down on the bed intent on watching TV until he talks. I give it another twenty minutes. Out of the corner of my eye I can see him sitting incredulously. In two minutes he'll react with his first defense mechanism, anger. He'll be pleading soon enough, and then he'll promise he won't leave this room, because honestly? I need him to promise me because like Fornell said, when he's good, he's good, but when he's bad, he's better.

"Are you actually mad at me", he says finally after not being able to take it.

Three minutes. I was off by one.

"Because you can't be mad at me", he says arms widespread.

I say nothing.

"You bugged me", he shouts, "You fucking put a bug on me! Did I stay mad? No! I let it go!"

I change the channel for my response.

"You called the team behind my back when you knew, you knew it would upset me. I trusted you Gibbs and you threw it in my face!"

Next channel.

"Do you understand what they are going to think", he screams, "They are going to find out everything in my past. Ziva already thinks I'm spoiled as all hell, McGee thinks I'm some common privileged idiot, and Ducky and Abby, they have no idea about this world. I don't need them being proved right! They are going to take on look at my family, where I came from, and they are going to throw that in my face for the rest of my career with them. And you knew that!"

I put the volume up.

"Oh fuck you Gibbs", he screams, "You don't have any right to be angry! I should be angry! In case you haven't noticed this hasn't been exactly easy on me! You said you had my six."

I do have your six, that's why I'm doing this whether or not you can see it now.

"Gibbs", he yells, "You can't be mad at me, that's not fair! This is not how it works."

His phone rings and he hurls it across the room watching it smash into a bunch of pieces. He stomps into the bathroom and slams the door.

Well that's progress. The problem here is that no one ever showed DiNozzo how to cry, and he has no refuge for his emotions. He won't release all of his anxiety by crying so he'll do it in anger.

I hear glass shatter in the bathroom, but I leave it for now. I need him calm and ready to move forward and if beating up something accomplishes that then so be it.

One day I'll teach him how to cry, but today is not that day.

And another day I'll sit down and talk to him and make him clearly understand that he is not his family, and that the qualities that he does share with his family are not things to be ashamed of. This isn't the first time he's been embarrassed by them or rather for them with me present. It started in the car when he was talking to Dominic on speakerphone. He is incredibly protective of them and anything that he feels could remotely resemble a slight he becomes infuriated.

At work he doesn't speak of them, and in his personal life the most of a story I can get out of him are those surrounding his father. He does not discuss family, because he cannot handle any kind of scrutiny regarding them. Or perhaps it is because he cannot have them in his life because he has buried them in his mind.

I first learned he spoke Italian on an undercover assignment. It was myself, Tony and three mobsters. The leader of the group said something in Italian and before I know it Tony had thrown me to the floor as gunfire erupted.

I chewed him out something nasty that day. I could for not the life of me understand why he wouldn't have told me he spoke Italian. I just yelled and yelled, and yet he said nothing. I demanded that if he ever left out such a capability like that again that I would fire him. It is only now that I understand how touchy it is for him.

When he enters the room he picks up the pieces of his phone and starts to reconstruct them on the hotel desk. His anger has however dissipated. He turns around to face me.

"Gibbs", he says, "Please."

I say nothing. We're almost there DiNozzo.

"I'm sorry", he whispers.

I turn the TV off.

"You're sorry what", I say icily without looking at him.

He flounders for a bit too long. I jump up and get right in his face.

"You're sorry what", I shout.

"Sir", he yells back, back straightening, "I'm sorry sir!"

"Get on the ground", I yell, "Now!"

He questions it with his eyes but does so.

"Do pushups", I say.

"How many sir", he asks.

"Until I tell you to stop."

"Sir, yes sir" he says with a tad of attitude.

I grab his hair and pull his head up.

"I'm sorry what was that", I yell right in his face.

"Sir yes sir", he repeats back respectfully.

"That's what I thought you said", I and release him.

"Down", I yell, and he complies.

"Up", I yell right back, and he corresponds.

"Down!" Back down, "Hold it!"

DiNozzo should be able to keep this up for a little longer until it starts affect him. Ten minutes into it I begin to see strain.

"Up! Down! Up! Down! Up! Hold it!"

I get on the floor right into his face.

"Why are we doing this DiNozzo", I yell at his face.

I can see he is contemplating telling me to screw myself, but he holds his tongue.

"Because I'm a bad person", he asks.

"Down!"

He groans but complies.

"Hold it!"

"Why are we here DiNozzo?"

"Because I took the car under your nose" he says.

"Up! Because you lied DiNozzo."

"No sir", he yells, "I did not lie to you!"

I go on a knee and hold him by his sweaty hair, "Yes, yes you did! You played me DiNozzo! You took part of our relationship and you threw it in my face so you could do something that I told you specifically not to do!"

"They're my family sir", he yells back. I let go of him.

"Down!"

He's sweating profusely now, but he won't give in, it's a competition now.

"Hold it!"

"You lied", I yell back, "Up!"

"No sir", he yells back, "I didn't lie! I am not a liar! I am not my father! I don't lie!"

And now we are getting somewhere.

"You tricked me", I yell, "Down and hold it!"

He groans but complies.

"Tricking people, or making people believe a falsity is lying!"

"I am not a liar" he screams.

"I am not a liar, what? And up!"

"I am not a liar sir!"

"So what would you call it DiNozzo, and hold it!"

He's in between from going up to all the way back down and I know he must be smarting now.

"You bugged me sir", he grits out.

I grab his face and make him look at me again.

"You clearly cannot be trusted!"

"They're my family!"

"What?"

"They're my family sir!"

"Down!" A grunt of relief.

"Up!"

He pushes himself up and I can see he is agony now. I stand up and start pacing from where he is.

"You disobeyed a direct order!"

"I didn't have a choice sir!"

"You always have a choice! Down! Your choice included defending murderers!"

"They didn't kill anyone sir!"

"Up! You put yourself in the line of fire! Down! Where is your sense of self? Up! It's not always about other people DiNozzo, sometimes you need to protect yourself. Down! These people have done nothing for you, they left you, they scorned you, and some of them beat you, and you are going to just stand up and proclaim their innocence? Up!"

Suddenly he looks really tired.

I get on my knee again and lift his face up to see me.

"You are not touching this case", I say to him.

He is silent.

"You are not touching this case" I say a bit louder.

I get right close to his ear.

"I'm sorry are we having a communication problem here DiNozzo", I ask coldly.

"I'm sorry", he whispers, "But they're my family. I can't do nothing."

"Down!" I can't help but enjoy the wince as he goes back down. I stand up again.

"How sorry" I yell. "Up!"

"Really sorry", he says back.

"Really sorry", I question him, "That's the best you can do? You deceived me! You disobeyed a direct order, but hell, at least you're really sorry! Down!"

"It's the right thing to do", he grunts.

"Up! And what was that DiNozzo?"

"It's the right thing to do sir!"

"Down! Oh really? How do you figure that?"

"It's what you would do sir!"

"Hold it in the middle! You want me in your future Tony?"

"Sir yes sir", he grunts out sweat pouring down his face.

"Then you never ever deceive or lie to me again. You understand me?"

"Sir yes sir!"

"Up!"

"You understand me?" I yell louder.

"Sir yes sir!" he shouts back louder.

"Down! What are you not going to do?"

"Lie!"

"What?"

"Lie sir!"

"Up! What aren't you going to do?"

"I won't lie sir!"

"Down! Again!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Up!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Down!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Up!"

"I will not lie sir!"

His voice is breaking and I can tell he is exhausted.

"You are reckless! Down!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Up! You don't give a shit about yourself. Down!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Up! I need you to give a damn about yourself!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Down! You are insecure!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Up! You will do anything to please anyone! Give a damn about yourself!"

"I will not lie sir!"

"Down! You are on my team because you are intelligent."

"I will not lie sir!"

"Up and hold it!"

I get down real nice and close.

"You will not lie to me!"

"I will not lie sir", he screams louder than before.

"You have worth! Down!" I stand back up.

"I will not lie sir!"

"No! Up!"

"I have worth sir!"

"You will not lie to me! Down!"

"I have worth sir!"

"You will not trick me! Up!"

He is flat out panting and groaning and making no attempt to hide his discomfort.

"I have worth sir!"

"You disagree with me, you tell me, down!"

"I have worth sir!"

"Up! You are not going to let yourself take the fall for this! You are going to defend yourself if they ask!"

"I have worth sir!"

"You are going to do this my way now. Down!"

"I have worth sir!"

"You have nothing to be ashamed of. Up and hold it!"

"I have worth sir", he shrieks.

"Your family's sins are not yours!"

"I have worth sir!"

"You will not lie to me!"

I get back down on my knee.

"I have worth sir!"

"You will not lie to me!"

"I have worth sir!"

"You are not an acceptable casualty!"

"I have worth sir!"

"Saving them at all costs is not an option!"

"I have worth sir!"

His arms are shaking holding himself for so long, but I ignore it. I grab his face one more time.

"Down!"

He goes down, but I keep holding on his face forcing him to look at me.

"You are not nothing! Up!"

"I have worth!"

"Down! You have worth!"

"I have worth sir!" His face is red and almost hysterical.

"You have worth! Up!"

"I have worth sir!"

I let go of his face but I stay on my knee and in his space.

"What was that DiNozzo? Down!"

He looks like he is in excruciating pain but he complies nonetheless.

"I have worth sir!"

"Up! I can't hear you!"

"I have worth sir!"

"What?"

"I have worth sir!"

I stop yelling.

"What won't you do?"

"I won't lie sir", he shrieks.

"And?"

"I have worth sir!"

"Take a breather."

He collapses onto his back breathing heavily. I run my hand through his hair and pat him.

"It's alright DiNozzo", I say gently, "It's over now. Everything is going to be alright."

I stop stroking him and get up.

"On your feet."

He is gulping for air like a fish out of water, but he stands up.

"Sit down" I bark at him.

He is immediately complaisant and sits onto the bed.

I pull the chair from the hotel desk and get right into his personal space. I nudge one of my knees in between his and position myself right near his ear.

"You do nothing without my express permission", I say slowly, "Do you understand me?"

"Yeah boss" he says quietly.

"I'm sorry what was that DiNozzo", I push.

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

"As of this moment Ziva, Mcgee and Abby are all coming to New York to assist. We will take care of this. You want to work this? You do it with me. You run everything by me. You do nothing without my say so. You rely on me. And so help me God you will not sacrifice yourself for some lowlifes."

"Yes sir", he says, "Nothing without your say so."

"You do not leave my side", I concede. "You understand me?"

He nods.

"What?"

"Sir yes sir."

"You are not allowed to speak Italian in my presence either."

He pulls back to look at me.

"Boss, what?"

I rearrange us so we are back to our original positioning. DiNozzo is much more honest when he isn't looking at the person. He can't watch my reaction and he can't see my eyes, so he has no idea how to play it out, he has no other choice than to be honest.

"I came here to support you DiNozzo", I say, "Not to let you manipulate me into hearing what you deem to be acceptable. I don't care about your family problems, I care about you, and if you ever put me in the dark again you will live to regret it, are you understanding me here?"

"Boss", he says uncomfortably, "My father, what he was saying it had nothing to do with you. He was mad at me, and I didn't want you to have to get caught up in the middle of it."

"You" I scream and I see him flinch, "Do not keep out of the loop. Are we understanding each other here? You do not intentionally blind me, I don't care what the hell your reasoning is. You're keeping me from the truth is a degree of lying. We are a team DiNozzo, you play by the team's rules. This is non negotiable."

"Okay", he says quietly. I come back into his focus.

"I'm sorry maybe you didn't get the point, do you need to do some more?"

"No sir", he says straightening up, "Sorry sir! No blindsiding you sir!"

"And speaking of language", I say, "I hear you curse again-"

Something is wrong. Tony is shaking.

"Tony", I prod.

"I have to go to the bathroom", he says like he's scared to death.

I get out of his space immediately, and wave my hand to the bathroom. He rushes off, and even though I expect it, I still wince when the door locks.

I haven't yet heard the entire story but the little I do know is that one day Tony was being punished, and he had to go to the bathroom. Whoever was hitting him as a child at that point didn't take too kindly to it and didn't allow him to go. From what I deducted he became so nervous that he just went. His keeper took even worse to that, which apparently led to one of the worst beatings of his life.

I only have this information because he told me once during a punishment session after he had flipped out that I wouldn't let him go to the bathroom. He had started hyperventilating until I let him go to the bathroom. When he returned I had exacted answers, and he delivered, afraid that I would just drop him completely for insubordination or believe that he was just trying to get out of it.

That was closest I have ever come to getting a glimpse into his more darker memories, and that was the closest I have ever come to seeing him cry. Anyway, from that point on I was sensitive to that fact and whenever said he had to go to the bathroom I just let him. It's not worth anymore psychological scarring. I do hate that punishing him creates that mindset but with DiNozzo sometimes you don't' have any other choice. You have to constantly challenge him.

I don't actually think he even has to go, in the sense of the word, when goes into the bathroom, it's just more of a psychological urge that something is terribly wrong and that it could get so much worse. I don't care though. He needs the time, and I will always give it to him. It's not right to torture people like that, because if I were to prevent him, it would be torture.

When he returns he is back to looking shamed.

"DiNozzo", I say, "Come here."

He steps forward, and I meet him the other step. I pull him into an embrace. He stiffens like I expect him, and he doesn't return the hug, but he sure as hell does listen to me.

"It's okay. We're wrapping this up, just come sit down and we'll be done."

I let him go and he returns to his spot on the bed. I sit back on the chair, but this time I stay in his sight. The point has been made.

"As I was saying", I say, "No more cursing."

"Hey boss", he says with some levity, "That's different. That's how people talk up here."

He's embarrassed, like he usually is, but he isn't calming like he usually does. His eyes are nervous and left leg is twitchy. The events of the day must be catching up to him.

"I don't care", I shoot back ignoring it, "You sound like an unsophisticated punk. You went to school, you're educated, you work for me and you will not represent yourself in anyway that doesn't reflect those attributes. You're too smart for that."

I have no doubt that he has no intention of keeping this rule, and he knows that I don't really expect him too, but it also reaffirms his status and worth on my team.

"Yes boss", he says trying to hide a smile.

And now for the finale.

I push him down onto the bed and lean down real close to him. I ignore his gasp, and put my hand right next to his head. I practically laying on top of him barely supporting my weight on my hand, but I don't care. I can see it's bothering him perhaps too much so I'm going to make this quick. His breathing has increased ever so slightly, and his eyes are shooting back and forth. Time to wrap this up.

"If you ever, ever, pull something like you did with that car, you and I are going into the ring until I beat it out of you. You are excellent at inveigling and deceiving, but you don't do it to me. You hate liars? So do I. You do it again, and you the two of us go to the mats. Am I making myself clear here?."

He nods, and I get off of him. He stays down on the couch for a bit and then runs his hands through his hair. I realize that it might be difficult for him to save face, so I go to the bathroom to take a shower and give him some space.

He took that well, so I'll give a little.

"Hey DiNozzo", I say in a neutral tone, "Look you want to keep on this case tonight right?"

He eyes me but doesn't get up from laying down on the bed.

"Yeah", he says tiredly.

"Alright", I say, "Why don't you call your aunt back and tell her that we'll make dinner, and then when we're there we can get some questions answered."

His face lights up.

"Yeah, you mean it?"

"Yeah", I respond and grab a towel.

"Hey Gibbs", he says, "What time is everyone expecting to be in New York, cause I'll just invite them along too."

"Maybe you should check with your aunt before you invite more people."

"Nah", he says, "She'll have enough, trust me. There'll be plenty of people over there anyway."

"Around eight", I respond.

"Okay I'll tell her to hold dinner until then", he says, "Boss, you've never had food as good as this, promise."

I smile, "Yeah okay, we'll see DiNozzo."

His face isn't laughing, "No Gibbs, it's really good."

Okay apparently food jokes are off limits.

"Yeah", I say as a peace offering, "I'm looking forward to it."

He sits up and smiles.

"Okay cool."

I make a mental note of telling everyone that they need to love whatever is being prepared.

NCISNCIS

I open the door and a bright flash goes off. When my sight returns I see Abby standing there with a camera.

"Gibbs", she cries, "This is going to be awesome!"

I nod my hello to McGee, and Ziva.

"Excuse me boss", McGee says, "I really have to go, someone wouldn't pull over."

"I wasn't not going to break my record", Ziva says, "Because someone couldn't hold their bladder."

"Well I held it", I hear McGee's indignant yelp from the bathroom, "If I have bladder problems in my future, I'm going to blame you."

"It's true" Abby says, "That can cause major bladder problems."

"I'm going to cause major problems" I grunt, "When McGee is finished we are going to eat."

"Oh", Abby says, "Chinese, like real Chinese!"

Great another one with a New York obsession.

"Real Chinese" I say tiredly, "Comes from China."

"Gibbs", Abby pouts, "We're in New York! Even McGee is excited about seeing the big apple, although it's not really an apple, it's more like a big-"

"Look", I say, "This is not a vacation. You hear that McBladder?"

"Yes sir", he yells from the bathroom. "Not a vacation."

"DiNozzo", I say, "Is royally screwed if we do not solve this."

"Where is Tony", Ziva questions.

"We'll meet him shortly", I respond. "And Ziva, how good is your Italian?"

"Ottimo", she responds, "Much better than my English. But Gibbs, I am going to require food if we are going to clean DiNozzo."

"Clear" I say absently, "And as for dinner, how do you all feel about Italian?"


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thank you so much for the really kind reviews. Thanks for letting me know which point of views you like, I'll keep that in mind for future chapters.

Warning: As usual, language.

We arrive at the De Luca residence and all take a moment to take in our surroundings. The house itself is large but it doesn't seem well kept with paint peeling and a tear in the screen door. The mailbox is missing its door, and the grass is peeping through the already three inches of snow. The expensive cars in the driveway seem to clash with the house, but in some odd way it works and looks homely.

We all get out and I knock on the door. A blonde teenager answers it. It's about ten degrees outside but she is dressed in a mini jean skirt, a skimpy shirt and boots that I believe are called Uggs.

"Can I help you", she asks snottily. Her hand is on her hip, and the other with fake nails is playing with a blonde curl.

Abby takes a picture. God help me.

"We are here for Tony", Ziva states.

"Which one", she asks rubbing her eyes from the flash.

Elena appears at the door suddenly and hits this blonde creature.

"Bianca", she says angrily, "Let these people in." Then to us, "I am so sorry, please excuse my daughter, she's a bit hungry. Please, please come in."

It's quite loud inside: laughing, screaming, and the song "That's Amore" is playing lightly in the background. The interior of the house is nothing like the outside, it's actually quite stunning. And it smells delicious.

"Thank you for holding dinner", I say, "Thank you very much"

"For you", Elena responds, "Not a problem, we're so pleased to have you."

I force myself to smile at her and stay polite tonight despite how much I want to wring her neck for dragging DiNozzo into this.

"Your house is beautiful", Ziva says.

"Oh this is Beatrice's", Elena responds, "I live two blocks down. Let me go get Tony and I'll tell Bee that she should throw the mac's."

"Mac's", McGee questions.

"Pasta", responds Elena.

"You throw pasta", McGee asks.

"You know", she says looking at him like he's half retarded, "Like put them into the water?"

"Oh", McGee says.

"From macaroni McGee", Ziva says laughing, "Mac's."

In a second I hear feet pounding, and see DiNozzo holding a wine glass.

"Hey", he screams, "You guys all made it!"

He comes over and hugs and kisses all of us, including myself.

"DiNozzo", I say, "I just saw you."

He doesn't let go. Aw kid, didn't anyone in your life ever do anything for you? Ever pay you any kind of attention? Didn't anyone ever tell you that you worth the time? He holds my neck and doesn't release me for a good three seconds over what is considered customary.

"It's alright DiNozzo", I tell him softly.

He pats me on the back and leads us in keeping his arm wrapped around my shoulders. I have noticed this once or twice before; anytime I am angry with him immediately after he becomes clingy. It's an odd word to use to describe DiNozzo but that internal need for approval forces him to keep himself near the source of the problem and just test it until he knows for certain where he stands. Usually he isn't this touchy-feely, but I have a feeling it's a result of the alcohol.

"DiNozzo", I say quietly so hopefully the others won't hear, "We're good."

He doesn't let go, or show any outward signs of reception, but I can tell he's listening.

A crying woman greets us in the kitchen and hugs and kisses each one of us as well.

"Thank you so much", she says crying, "I'm Carmine, Jamie, and Christian's mom, and well, thank you all so much for clearing my boys!"

DiNozzo's arm slips from my shoulders becoming nervous.

"Ma'am", I say, "Really it was all Tony, we're just here to help settle this once and for all."

"Yeah God forbid I get any kind of credit", yells Simona sitting at the table.

She stands up and greets us offering her hand.

"It's nice to meet you under better circumstances Agent Gibbs".

I grab her hand.

"It was something the two of you pulled off in there", I say.

"We try", she says with the same glitter in her eyes that I often find in Tony.

"Would you all like anything to drink", Beatrice asks.

We all politely decline, but the woman is insistent until finally I give in and let my team drink. If I intend to get answers from these people I might as well not start off by upsetting them. She orders Tony to pour the drinks, which he does quite sloppily spilling the wine every which way.

"Anthony", she chides, "Watch that, it's expensive."

"I'm doing it", he says gruffly, "I got it."

McGee, Ziva, and Abby's heads all shoot up to DiNozzo.

"What", DiNozzo asks after noticing.

"You are speaking differently", Ziva states.

"I'm drunk", he says back honestly, "Sorry boss."

"It's alright DiNozzo", I say back, "It's off time." Well for him it is anyway. And after our little work out session, hell today in general, I would want a drink too.

"No that is not it", says McGee excitedly, "You have a New York accent!"

"Sorry", Tony says indignantly, "I'm drunk. It's slipping."

"That explains it", Abby says, "I never could pin it before!"

"Pin what", DiNozzo says moving onto the last glass.

"Whenever you're tired, you always sound different."

"This is so cool", McGee says happily.

"No", says Beatrice, "Tony doesn't have an accent."

"Yes ma'am", I respond. I guess compared to her he wouldn't have an accent.

Tony serves the wine glasses and we all try to hold them where there isn't wine spilling down the side. DiNozzo is about to sit with us but out of nowhere three huge men come in from the backdoor and tackle him. Each are dressed in dark wash jeans, with gold rings and chains, and leather jackets. I recognize one as Dom, another as Carmine, and the third I think I know from the funeral but I don't have a name for him.

"Hey", Beatrice starts yelling, "Knock it off! Take it outside, you are in my house, the hell's the matter with you! Oh, take your shoes off, you're tracking in dirt!"

The three don't seem to care about anything other than getting DiNozzo.

"Hold him", cries Dom, "I got something real sweet for you baby."

"Hey", Tony screams while breaking a smile finally, "Aunt Beatrice, help me! Dom, I swear it wasn't me! It was Nicky!"

"Like hell it was me", the third assailant yells while holding Tony down.

Abby stands up and takes a picture.

"Aunt Louisa", Tony screams for some woman who I presume is in the next room, "Your stupid ass son is going to fart on me, come on!"

Beatrice looks mortified and immediately goes to get Dominic as far away from Tony.

She starts beating Dominic, Carmine, and Nicholas (or so I'm presuming) with a wooden spoon and runs them out of the room.

"You flying fuck", Dominic screams, "I'll get you back! You just wait and see!"

"Oh what language", Beatrice screams, "We have company damn it! The hell's the matter with you? Curse like that in my house, who does he think he is? Louisa spoiled that one."

"Oh my God", McGee whispers, "This is so cool, they are like real authentic movie Italians!"

I slap him, and I don't give a reason. I don't especially feel that I need to. Tony jumps up and finds a seat next to all of us. Jamie comes walking in, eyes us, especially Abby, (and over my dead dead dead body will that ever happen) but abandons us in pursuit for food.

"Ma", he says, "I'm starving here."

"Almost ready", she says as if she's said a hundred times.

An older man comes in who looks like an older version of Dominic.

"Bea", he says, "When are we eating here? It's friggin nine o'clock now."

It's eight fifteen.

"Oh Raymond", "I want you to meet our guests. They are helping us on this case. They work with Tony on very important things."

"Oh so you are the ones helping out Beatrice's idiot children", he says gruffly, "We really do appreciate all of your help."

He pulls up a seat.

"Raymond Leone", he says while pulling up a seat, "So you guys all work together huh?"

"Uncle Ray", Tony says drunkenly while taking another sip, "I work with these people. This is Gibbs, he does shit. This is McGee, he's really good at computers, he hacks into shit, and that's Ziva, she kills people, and that's Abby, she's a princess."

Said princess is delighted and takes another picture. Seriously Abs?

"Hey chief", Raymond says while taking the glass away from Tony, "Why don't you give me this until dinner."

There is a crash in the living room followed by screaming.

"Go see what that is", Raymond says gently to DiNozzo, "They all miss you."

Tony looks at me for approval.

"Hey", I say gently, "Go enjoy the time you have."

Tony nods and runs off.

"Excuse my nephew" he says, "He's just real excited to be home, and he never could hold his liquor. Like I said, we really do appreciate your help. If there is anything you need, let us know."

"Actually", I say thankful that we happen to be in the only quiet room in the house, "I would like to ask some questions after dinner, or now if there's time."

"Well you can ask me anything now", Raymond responds, "But I'm not so sure how much help I can be to you. You really want to talk to the women, they are the ones that know things."

"Mr. Leone", Ziva starts, "What can you tell us about Donna Brunelli? We have evidence that she is alive. Can you tell us about that night she was supposingly killed?"

"Ah", he says scratching his head, "Look, you really want to talk to the women. Elena would know better, or my Louisa, I'm not really so sure. I mean we all took it at face value, a cop came to the door during dinner and told us she was dead, we had no reason not to credit it."

"Do you remember the police officer's name", I ask.

He scratches his head again, "Something Italian. Yeah, Russo I think it was."

"Sir", McGee says, "Could it be an Andrew Rossi?"

"Yeah", Raymond responds, "That sounds about right."

"Boss", McGee whispers, "That was the name of the officer that has gone missing."

"When was he reported missing", I say quietly back.

"Prior to the accident", he responds.

"Check into everything regarding Rossi after dinner."

"You think he's a dirty cop", Raymond asks.

"Right now sir, we're just looking for information."

"About Elena", I say, "Her last name is Brunelli, but she has a child, divorced?"

"Never married", he responds.

"Mr. Leone", McGee says, "Police have found records of your family communicating with another family that is suspected of mafia connections, do you-"

Shit McGee.

"We are not mafia", he stands up screaming. "You little shit, you come into our house and accuse us of something like that? You're just like those damn cops at the station. You listen here, my father came over to this country with nothing but the clothes on his back. He had no shoes until he was-"

"Raymond", Beatrice yells, "These people work with Anthony."

He sits back down angrily.

"We are not mafia", he says again.

"I apologize for our insensitivity", Ziva says coolly, "You have to forgive my associate, he does not realize how heavily charged that word is within the Italian community."

Raymond eyes her.

"You Italian", he asks, "Sicilian maybe?"

"No signore", she responds her eyes laughing.

"Well nobody's perfect", Raymond responds to Ziva and then to McGee, "Sorry kid, didn't mean to jump down your throat, it's been a long day."

"Still sir", Ziva continues, "Can you explain why someone in the DiNozzo office was taking calls from this other family?"

Raymond is quiet. His eye gaze looks away. Well he sure as hell knows something.

"You have to talk to Elena", he finally says.

"I'm talking to you", I respond.

There is another crash and more screaming only this time someone sounds like they are in pain. We all immediately rush in to see what is happening.

A largely obese man is rolling around on the floor, and surrounding him is a broken chair. DiNozzo, Carmine, Dominic, Nicholas, and Monica are howling with laughter.

"Paul you fat fuck", Dominic says with tears coming out of his eyes.

"It's broken", Paul says, "Oh it's actually broken! Call an ambulance! Call an ambulance, I'm dying, I'm dying! Ma! Ma!"

"Shottie not it", screams Nicholas. "Not bringing him."

A woman comes rushing down the stairs and falls onto her knees hysterically crying.

"Oh my God, my son, my son! Somebody do something!"

Abby takes a picture.

Simona comes into the picture, rolls her eyes and grabs car keys.

"Dominic", she says, "Carry him out, I'll bring him to the ER. Ma, stop crying he's fine."

"Mom, mom" he cries, "Are you there mom?"

"I'm here baby", she says, "I'm here."

"It's getting dark mom."

"No", she shrieks, "Stay away from the light!"

"Ma", Simona cries, "Give me a break, Paul, shut up."

Mrs. Parsano smacks Simona and upbraids her daughter, "Don't you talk like that to Paulie, can't you see he's dying!"

"He's not dying mom", Simona sighs.

"Mom, mom", he says crying as Dominic helps upright him, "I want a Jew doctor. You make sure they give me a Jew."

"Yes baby", she says, "Yes."

"Dominic", Simona cries, "Get him in the car. Come on mom."

"Oh God", Tony cries, "I think I ripped something laughing. He is so fucking fat!"

"That was my mother's good chair too", Carmine says, "Hey Simona, can we sue your fat ass brother for breaking my mother's seat?"

Simona flips them off and disappears.

"We're still eating on time right", screams Jamie to his mother in the next room, "Ma, right? I'm starving!"

Well I'm real glad that I came running in here and blew my interview with Raymond Leone. We were so damn close. I try to rearrange everyone back to the kitchen, when another visitor comes in.

Peter DiNozzo.

Tony is lying on the ground laughing, tears pouring out of eyes until he realizes that everyone else isn't laughing anymore. He looks and sees his father. He gets up.

"What are you doing here", Peter DiNozzo shouts, "You're not supposed to be here."

"Yeah huh", Tony says back maturely, "I was invited!"

"Get out!"

"No!"

"You left, you aren't welcome here anymore!"

"I was here first! You leave!"

"I'm older!"

"Aunt Beatrice made my favorite!"

"What? No, you don't get to pick what we eat!"

"She offered, because she loves me!"

"Get out!"

"This isn't your house, you can't do that."

"Get out!"

"No!"

It comes down to a staring contest, until Tony starts laughing hysterically.

"Are you drunk?"

"Really drunk."

"You're fucking drunk? In front of your fucking boss? And hello to you to Mr. Gibbs and company I'm so glad you all could make it to this as well. This is a family event."

"This is a family event", Tony mimics his father.

"Beatrice", Peter screams storming into the kitchen.

We hear more screaming between the two, but apparently Beatrice wins out because within seconds she calls and invites everyone to the table for dinner.

(Tony)

I'm actually wasted. I don't know how this happened. I had one glass of wine, and then I had another. I needed one more, but Dominic offered to get it for me, and ah shit, he fucking spiked this. Fucking asshole. Well maybe dinner might be better if I am drunk.

Let's recap shall we?

My boss, coworkers, and my family, and said family includes my estranged father, are sitting at the same table. You know what? Drunk might actually be the best way to approach this. Aunt Beatrice has tried to separate my boss from the more problem people in the family, yeah likes that's going to work. Yelling has never been a problem in this family. I with my coworkers have inhabited one end side of the table the liaisons sitting next to us from Little Italy are Dominic who is seated next to me followed by Nicky, and then on the other side next to McGee is Bianca and then Mary. Everyone else in my working family is surrounded by each other.

Shit, where is my drink? Who took it? I swear I had it at one point. Damn it Dom, what the hell did you give me?

I punch Dominic.

"Ow the fuck", he cries.

"Hey", my uncle Raymond yells, "We're fucking saying grace here, have some fucking respect!"

"Sir yes sir", I yell automatically.

Everyone at the table is looking at me now, and Gibbs looks amused. Well fuck me.

"He spiked my drink", I scream.

"Anthony", my father yells from the other end of the table, (I guess my aunt thought we would be a problem together), "For once in your life can you please not embarrass me?"

I can't hear exactly what is being said but I see my grandfather yelling at my father in Italian.

"Ha", I yell. "Doesn't feel too great, now does it pops?"

"Anthony", my aunt Luisa starts, "Basta!"

"It's not my fault", I yell, "He spiked my fucking drink!"

"Do not make me come over there", someone yells and before I know it someone is hitting me repeatedly. But then my drink reappears so I'm going to let it go. I guess grace is over because everyone is eating. I look down to see what is being served and before I can start in, I look at my coworkers. Oh shit. They're looking at the food like it's going to strike them. Well, Ziva doesn't seem to have a problem with it.

"S'wrong", I ask, and shit when did the slurring occur? I did not authorize that.

"Something is wrong with the food", my aunt asks nervously, "What's wrong with it?!"

"What is it", McGee asks.

"Salad", I say hurt.

"It has tentacles", McGee says, "Ow!"

I look to see why McGee is in pain, but I can't seem to find the source.

"It's fine Tony", Gibbs says.

"It's fucking delicious" I hear someone say angrily, "The hell's the matter with it?"

I look back, and oh shit now everyone is looking at my coworkers like they are naked or something. Wait, are they? I check, and nope. Still clothed. Someone from the Italian end of the table is saying something about hicks and southern hillbilly's but I'm afraid that if I look too vigorously for them, I'll puke.

"Stop looking at them", I say to the family.

"What's wrong Mr. Gibbs", I hear my father say snottily, I can always recognize my father's disgusted voice, "Don't like seafood?"

"It's delicious", my boss replies diplomatically.

"You haven't eaten anything", my aunt Beatrice says.

Well what the hell is wrong with it? I do not see the controversy. Before I take another sip, I look down at the salad. I'm not seeing the problem here, except, oh.

Its' a seafood salad. I forgot that was an Italian thing. Inside it has octopus legs chopped up, squid, snail, shrimp and other delicious critters from the deep sea. The salad in and of itself must have been incredibly expensive to produce and now my work peeps want nothing to do with it. Ah feelings are going to be hurt all around. Where the hell is my drink again?

"Hey guys", I say, "There's more food, don't worry about it."

The rest of the family is glaring at them and no one is speaking until they eat it. This is what fish in a fishbowl must feel like.

"Ziva's eating it", I cry indignantly.

"I thought you said you weren't Italian", someone says.

Right, because only Italians eat seafood. You know I have voices in my head, multiple voices that told me that this would be a bad idea, but did I listen to any of them? No. Not one of them. Shit, they are still looking at them. Gibbs and Abby seem to be stomaching it, but McGee looks like he's going to pass out. I have to create a diversion, quickly.

I take my fork and jab it into Dom's leg.

"Ah shit", he screams startled jumping up, "Oh holy fuck, what the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Everyone is looking at Dom. Success! Attention diverted!

"Oh no", I say, "Look at that fork in your leg. How ever did it get there?"

Hmm, perhaps I forced it in too deeply. It looks quite embedded. Dom is grabbing his leg a little too forcefully, it almost looks like he's in real pain. But thank God for small favors, my uncle Raymond looks pissed at Dom. And as it should be. This is his fault anyway, it's always his fault.

"Dominic", my uncle screams, "Look we're eating here, you think it can wait?"

Dominic screams in response. My aunt Louisa is trying to make it over to us but there are too many chairs in her way and not enough room for her to move around. She's kind of hefty.

"Dominic", my uncle yells again, "Knock it off!"

"Shottie not it", Nicky says. "You are bore with dugs man."

"Holy shit", Carmine adds, "I know, remember that one time we gave him that Ec-"

This is not better! So I decide to keep drinking until I can't hear anymore of this, unless, genius strikes! I get up and grab the wine and bring it over and start filling up my coworkers drinks. I'm brilliant sometimes.

Was that a flash? The hell was that?

"Dominic", my uncle Ray yells again, "I'm not going to say it again, knock it off!"

"There's a fucking fork in my fucking leg", he screams.

"You think that's bad", my uncle retorts, "When I was in the army I was shot three times and-"

Not enough alcohol. It apparently can never be enough. Everyone is screaming now, and I give up. Dominic goes somewhere followed by someone else, and the dinner resumes.

"Don't you think you've had enough", some blonde creature asks me. Holy shit that's Bianca. The last time I saw her she was in diapers, and didn't have breasts displayed for the whole world to see.

"If you were me", I say, "Would you have had enough yet?"

"You are going to need rehab or something."

"Rehab's for quitters!" I tell her.

"You stabbed your cousin?"

Where is that voice coming from. Ah ha, Gibbs! I found you!

"Your welcome", I say.

Hmm, I never noticed it before, but Gibbs has this vein pulsating. Interesting.

"Tony", Abby says to my right.

I look over to her, and when she stops spinning, I answer her.

"This is awesome."

That's because Abs is non-judgmental and wonderful.

"You are a kind soul", I tell her back.

"Hey baby what's your name?"

I look over and see my cousin Jamie looking my way. Hmm why? Is Jamie hitting on me? Ew. I'm sorry if I were gay, I could do so much better.

"Abigail", Abs answers.

"That's not my name", I tell her.

Wow, Gibbs looks angry. I stand up.

"Where are you going", someone asks me.

"Find Dom", I say.

"He's going to the emergency room", another voice tells me.

"No he's not", another one says, "He's not a pansy like Paul. That's the problem with these kids today, they don't' know pain."

I snort. I'm sorry, but I know pain. This is painful. This is actually agonizing.

"You find something funny Anthony", my father says. "Please do tell what has been so hard in your over lavished life."

And now they are all looking at me.

"I need a drink."

"You see, there it is" my father continues, "What the hell do they know about-"

Oh shove it.

"I was shot" I say without emotion, and suddenly this is just tiring, "I've been shot, stabbed, infected with the plague, kidnapped, starved-"

"Well that's nothing", someone says, I locate the source, it is again my father. Certo.

"You want to know what real pain is Anthony", my father says, "Real pain is being tortured so that-"

"I have been tortured", I say looking at him. The entire room is silent.

Shit this discussion is sobering me fast, and that is not ideal considering these circumstances. But I can't seem to stop myself.

"One time", I say, "I was tied up to a chair so the guy could just keep wailing on me, another time I-"

Ah, my drink! I grab it and leave. I decide that I am done with this conversation. No one likes a one upper. I finally find my cousin in a bathroom bandaging his wound.

"I knew you wouldn't go the emergency room" I say.

"You have two fucking seconds to explain this", he says.

"I love you Dom."

"One!"

"Okay, okay, I had to save my coworkers. Everyone was looking at them. And also? You spiked my drink, so it had to be you. Are you coming back to dinner?"

He pulls his pants back up over the wound.

"Yeah, you know I am."

Upon our return the second meal is already in place, and thank God it's just normal pasta with sauce. My coworkers seem much more excited about this course and dig in with more zeal. Everyone likes pasta. The conversation could be better however. It goes back from "those fucking pigs" regarding them raiding to the church to me and Simona getting the immunity statement. Right because it was Simona's idea. Hmm interesting. No one is talking about Aunt Donna's body not being in the coffin. Which is suspicious. So that means that they are all in on it. If no one is going to question why my aunt's dead body was not in her coffin, or even say something about her life, then that means they know something I don't. It also means they are working me. Wonderful. I have a senator demanding my badge and they can't even let me in on the big family secret. See now this is why I'm drinking.

"So", I say trying to make conversation on the other end, "How was the ride up?"

"It would have gone better if a certain someone was not complaining the entire time", Ziva says.

"I had bladder distress", McGee cries.

"I've been there man", I tell him.

"For three hours", he says.

"That's cruel", I say, "You guys should have pulled over for him."

"Hey", someone says, ah, it is Dom.

"What", I say.

"You alright", he asks me.

I nod. Shit, dizzy now. Note to self, do not do that again.

"I'm fine", I say. He ruffles my hair.

"You let me know, okay kid?"

"Jamie was hitting on me", I tell him.

He's looking at me oddly again.

"It's cause you're my Italian Stallion."

"I am your Italian Stallion", I repeat back faithfully.

And ow! Someone kicked me from under the table. Well what the hell warranted that?

And someone else is snorting. Well thanks a lot Ziva. She's just jealous that Israeli doesn't rhyme with stallion.

"Mary", Bianca says, "I have to show this new purse I got, its coach, and its pink! I bought it just for you."

"How", I ask, "Elena just gives you money to buy gifts for Mary?"

"It's my money", Bianca retorts.

"Where'd you get that much money", I ask.

"I have a business."

I look at her.

"She's a serial bride", Dom offers. "Don't tell her mom, she'll kill her."

"What do you mean she's a serial bride", Gibbs asks.

"It was stupid Simona's idea" Dominic sighs, "And she never meant for you to listen to her or anything. Simona was just saying hypothetically that she should have married her cheating fiancé and then taken half. So genius over here decided that she could do that, so she keeps marrying and divorcing people while taking some money."

"How old are you", Abby asks.

"Twenty", Bianca retorts, "I'm legal."

I can't find my drink so I take Dom's, and I proceed to spit it out.

"Oh it burns", I scream, "What is that?"

"A man's drink", he responds.

"I'm a man", I say back.

"You're a child", he responds back.

"I shoot people" I tell him.

I stop talking and realize that Gibbs is talking to Bianca. Now why? Why does he have to communicate with the other half? It's much easier to protect them if they don't openly initiate conversation. Italians see it as a challenge, and this bottle blonde could very well be exactly like my Aunt Luisa in disguise with a fit teenage body. Someone somewhere however distracts me from this, and has the brilliant idea to say, "Hey I have an idea! Let's tell Anthony stories to our guests!"

I have an idea too. Let's take another drink. I guess I should be grateful that they are trying to include my guests into the conversation but, really? They couldn't have found a better way to do it?

"Oh", Ziva says, "I would love that. Do you have anything especially wonderful?"

I'll give you something especially wonderful.

"I have stories", my father says.

Well of course you do. You weren't home for the majority of my childhood but somehow you have stories.

"I have better ones", my aunt Louisa cries.

"Oh", Abby squeals, "This is going to be great. Do you have any baby Tony pictures?"

Some other female squeals and assures her that after dinner she will show us. And there goes the rest of my drink. Now where is the jug?

"Here's my favorite Anthony story", my father says.

Maybe he's forgetting that we're estranged.

"My son the genius broke his ankle playing something or other, and instead of telling anyone he didn't say anything for a week!"

"How is that my fault", I ask, at this point I'm just curious. If the sun fell out of the sky I'm sure that would be my fault too

"Anthony", he says in his most condescending, "No one is going to know what is wrong if you don't learn to speak up."

"I called you" I said, "Like seven times!"

"I didn't have time for that", he says disgustedly, "That's why you had all those people in the house to take care of you."

"They didn't!"

"Anthony", he says, "People get tired when they have to work long hours, I'm sure you know nothing about it, but sometimes workers just don't want to deal with anything extra. That is why I have such loyal employees because I would never ask someone to go out of their way like that."

Everyone looks like they are waiting for the good part of the story. Well I have news, it's not coming.

"The end", my dad offers.

"Wow dad", I say, "That was a great story. I'm really glad you told it. That wasn't a painful memory or anything."

"What about the time he left you", Nicky adds, "In Hawaii or something, and then that guy tried to kidnap you and make you his sex slave."

"Yeah", I say, "You know what it's very difficult to keep things suppressed when you keep reminding me."

"So I get this call", Nicky says, "Now mind you I'm like thirteen, and Tony's like what, ten or something?"

"Eight", I reply.

"Okay eight", he continues on, "And I get this call and he's like, 'Nicky! I'm all alone in paradise! I'm going to live here for the rest of my life on the beaches!' Twenty minutes later he calls again and he's like, 'Nicky, this guy keeps following me and says he wants to take pictures of me because I'm so cute, but he wants me to take my pants off-'"

"That's not funny", Mary shouts out unexpectedly. The laughing immediately stops.

"Thank you", I cry, "Thank you Mary!"

And the awkward silence has returned. Excellent.

"I have a good story", Uncle Ray says, "I get a call from their school that Anthony is threatening to kill himself-"

Okay so if there isn't anymore wine, there has to be beer here somewhere. I get up and go to the fridge.

"Anyway", my Uncle continues as I return, "The school officials don't know what to do so they let him out of detention, just because he wanted to off himself!"

Ziva, Abby and McGee are openly laughing, so I guess that's kind of good.

"It worked", I say, "Not my fault that other people are sensitive."

"Oh well what about the time", my aunt Louisa gets in, "the social worker came to the door and says that Tony's been a victim of rape! Turns out he was having sex with at teacher in the faculty room."

"Oh shit", Nicky says, "That was with Ms. Preston!"

"Wait", my father says, "Ms. Preston, your math teacher?"

That he remembers? Of course that he remembers.

"I knew you couldn't pass that class", he screams, "I knew it! You little shit! I should have put you in military school for that summer! I knew you couldn't pass it on your own!"

"Hey", I yelled, "You put me in a calculus class just so I would fail! I wasn't going to fucking military school during my summer break, and Ms. Preston had a tongue ring so really, it was a win win."

I'm not even going to look at Gibbs. I'm not going to look at anyone to my right actually. I can hear Ziva laughing hysterically, and Abby giggling but I hear nothing from Gibbs. Wonderful. It's almost like I'm in hell.

"Alright you amateurs", Dom says, "I have the real Tony stories."

"No" I involuntary yelp.

"You stabbed with me a fork", he reminds me.

Huh, my beer is already gone. Well that's just magical.

"Dom", I say, "I'm begging you here."

"Relax", he tells me while patting my head, and dude, watch the hair, "This is a good one."

"In high school", he says, "Tony had more detentions accumulated than anyone else I have ever known, but despite that most of the teachers really liked him because was just so gosh darn cute."

He pinches my face and I swat away at him.

"What did he get in trouble for", Abby asks.

Why?

"Everything under the sun", my father says. "Sex in school, fighting, smoking, drinking, you name it, he did it. One time he even brought a cow into the school."

I think back. Oh yes, that was actually spectacular.

"Anyway", Dom says angry that the floor has been taken from him, "Everyone knew that Tony was good at dancing. I don't know if you guys know this, but Tony is a really good dancer."

Well, that's true.

"He used to dance everywhere", Dom continues, "Dancing under the desk, dancing on the lunch tables, dancing with the lunch aids, if you had a pulse, Tony would have danced with you before he graduated high school."

"Tony", Abs tells me, "I didn't know this! We should go sometime! I love dancing too!"

"Abs", I say, "That would actually be awesome."

"So", Dom starts in again, "This competition came to the school, there was always a competition for something, but the winning school would receive a bunch of new free computers which the school desperately needed. And since there were so many budget cuts it was a real problem. The school had promised that they would get new computers by the end of the year so they had to buy them, but in order for them to do that they would have had to let go a bunch of janitors. So the principal made this bet with Tony that if he won the competition she would personally forgive all previous and future transgressions. He would have to dance one Latin dance, and one traditional ballroom dance. So Tony agrees and everyday after school a Spanish teacher would teach Tony the steps to the Salsa, and some gym teacher who apparently know ballroom taught him the Waltz."

"Oh yeah", I say, "Mr. Petretelli. That was so odd, cause I had to dance with him the whole time before they could find me a girl partner."

I ignore my father's sound of disgust.

"Oh shit", Nicky says, "I remember that girl they gave you, what the hell was her name?"

"Colette Kwolaski", I say dreamily, "Now she could dance." I look at Gibbs, "She used to dance ballet, so she had those long legs. She really was amazing."

"Tony", McGee says, "Did you ever take dancing lessons as a kid?"

"Over my dead body", my father yells, "That was for fags."

Thanks dad.

"It was for fags", I tell McGee deadpan.

"You know Peter", my Aunt Louisa says, "You really should have done things different with him."

"Don't tell me how to raise my kid!"

Okay drinkie, it's time we meet again. I take another sip, a slow sip, of Dom's drink.

"I would have loved to have done tap or jazz", I say, "They really can move."

"Hey", Dom yells at my dad and aunt, "I am speaking here!"

"Do not yell at your mother", my aunt yells right back.

"Ma", Dom whines, "Please."

She huffs but let its go.

"Anyway", Dom says, "The day of the competition, all these janitors come to the show to cheer on Tony and Colette. It was such a big deal that it made the news."

"The local news", my father states, "It was like a two minute segment."

"I still have that paper Anthony", my aunt says, "I can show everyone after."

"Anyway" Dom says, "These two come in second out of seventy schools."

"Yeah", I say remembering the competition, "It was awesome though because we were the only public school. Everyone else had dancing in their schools as part of their gym, we never really had a chance."

"But" Dom says, "The coach of the first place team was so impressed that Colette and Tony were competing and competing so well considering their backgrounds, you know they were the only non Wasp couple. Our school was the only school to produce an Italian and Polish couple. All the other schools were from the city too, ours was the only one from the Island."

"But Tony is from money", McGee says before he can stop himself.

"Thank you", my father puffs out, "At least someone recognizes that!"

I'm ignoring that.

"Bad school area", I say, "My dad wanted to be around family, and this area isn't exactly known for its education. And it wasn't that they were that much better, it was just that they knew more steps and techniques because their instructors were professionals. We had a gym coach and a Bolivian immigrant, and google. They only got more points because they had more variety."

"You know I could have just purchased the computers for the entire school", he continues, "You didn't have be a fairy and then further humiliate yourself by loosing."

"It wasn't humiliating" I say and I look square in the eyes, "If you had come, you would know better."

"Would you let him finish the damn story please", my Uncle Leone yells.

"Yeah", Dom yells back, "Let me finish! So there's Tony and Colette in second devastated because they didn't win the computers and the janitor's are going to loose their jobs. So the janitors rush up onto the stage and hug them and are thanking them anyway. Colette and twinkle toes over here are crying so much too that it grabs everyone's attention. Finally someone informs the first place team why everyone is so upset, and why there are janitors on the stage. The first place team was so impressed that they relinquished their right to the prize and gave it our school."

"Yeah I remember that" Carmine says, "It was crazy. Everyone was screaming. It was really cool."

"Tony", Ziva says, "You must show me your moves."

"Hell I'm drunk enough now not to care", I say getting up, "You got music?"

"You sit down", my father barks, "Fairy for a son."

God, sometimes I wish I was gay just to piss him off. I really wish I liked cock, because oh how delicious could this be right now if he hated me for that too. I should have become a kindergarten teacher, or a nurse. Just to shove it in his fucking face.

"Tony", Abby says, "You promised me first."

Gibbs is laughing, "Tony", he says, "You show us later okay?"

"Okay", I say cheerfully, "I'm really good Gibbs."

"I have no doubt that you are", he says back.

I wish Gibbs was my father. The next course is served which is a meat dish and then we break a while for dessert. Everything seems to be running a bit more smoothly and my alcohol dependence is slowly declining. I come back from the bathroom and see Gibbs speaking with Bianca, ha I knew he would corner her eventually. She's supposed to be cleaning up with the rest of the women, but I guess Gibbs being such a rockstar gets her out of that. They are talking on the stairs quietly with Ziva lurking on the banister. I don't know where the other two went, but for now I'm just going to listen in and see what we get.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thank you all so much that reviewed. I was especially nervous about the last chapter because humor I find it sometimes difficult to pull off because each person has a unique

taste, but I'm glad that it came across well! I also realize that I didn't put up my Italian vocab for the last chapter, so my apologies! Also, I don't love this chapter but the next one should make up for it.

Survival Italian:

Contro la famiglia: Against the family

(Ziva)

"Your grandmother's body was not in that coffin!" I shout. Gibbs glares at me and remands me but I do not care. She is not being forthright. I have never had patience for women like this. My mother always taught me to be self-reliant. I suppose that this child is self-reliant but she acts so immaturely that I cannot fully appreciate the genius in her scheme. She is nothing more than a con-artist. Perhaps this immaturity is an act just like Tony's is.

"Bianca", Gibbs says again, "I think you know something about your grandmother."

"And I know you know something", I seethe. "So why do just make it easier on everyone and tell us what it is!"

"It was never supposed to go this far", she says quietly. "I didn't know who he was."

"Who who was", I ask.

"Adriano Sanctis", she replies, "I married him, it was so easy. All these Italian men are the same. I told him I was a virgin and a good Catholic girl, but I was so in love with him that I needed him, but the only way for us to have sex is if he married me. He was another stupid Ginny and bought into thinking the whole time he was playing me. These men, they only think with their dicks. Anyhow, when I went to collect, I couldn't touch the money. It's all offshore."

"They're mafia", I offer.

"Yes", she says while nodding, "I didn't know it at the time. They aren't big though. Anyway I stole a bunch of stuff instead."

"Define stuff", Gibbs says.

"Jewelry mostly", she says, "And some silver. The next thing I know they've taken my grandmother."

"Why not just take you", I ask.

"They wanted the stuff back, and I couldn't get it back if I was being held captive", she says.

"Why not give the stuff back", Gibbs asks.

"I pawned it off", she replies, "It's all gone."

This does not add up. Organized crime does not handle issues like this. I look at Gibbs and see he is thinking the same thing, however this twit does seem to be telling the truth. And more importantly this does not connect to Meagan Broome's murder. Perhaps they are two are unrelated events? I know Gibbs will not think so, but I cannot find a plausible connection.

"Bianca", I say, "Who else knows about this?"

"My mom", she says guiltily, "And I think my Uncle Peter and my great grandfather Angelo."

"Why was Meagan Broome's body in your grandmother's coffin", I ask. It is killing me, and I have too many other things to do instead of being killed by this.

"I don't know", she says.

I get into her face.

"Guess", I spit at her.

She looks down and I get out of her personal area.

"I honestly don't know", she says. "I know the whole thing with Mary and her brothers, but I don't know anything about how she got put in that coffin."

"Do you know about what they did to Meagan Broome", Gibbs asks quietly.

"I'm not supposed to say", she says.

Oh, I will strangle her, and I am pretty sure that I will enjoy it.

"They cannot be charged", Gibbs says.

"I'm not stupid", she says snottily, "I know things. And I know that if I tell you something that is contrary to the testimony provided by my cousin that it will renege the contract."

Perhaps I misjudged this one. She is a very well informed con artist. Oh well there are ways to handle the unwilling.

"Okay", Gibbs says, "Just tell us what Carmine did. He confessed to doing everything. So let's pretend it was just Carmine."

She glares at him. That is it. Sometimes I do not understand this country. I hit the wall in frustration and take my knife out.

"You are very frustrating", I tell her.

"Are you threatening me", she asks.

"I don't know" I say, "I have yet to decide."

That is truthful. I do not know how I will proceed to upset her. A pretty one like this I am thinking that going for the face will best serve my purposes.

"You do have beautiful hair", I tell her and then snap the knife shut.

"Look", she says, "They just took her and put her into a shed and videotaped it. They left her in there for a while and scared her. That was it!"

She realizes her blunder by naming more than one assailant and groans.

"We aren't trying to put anyone in jail", Gibbs says, "We are just trying to figure out what happened."

"I have no reason to trust you", she says her voice getting louder, "I don't know anything about you, and I will not be bullied! You want to talk to me? Well get in line! Do you have any idea how many times I have been in court and been interrogated? You don't scare me, you can't touch me!"

Bitch. I assure you that if I wanted, I could very well scare you.

"Dessert" some woman yells from the kitchen.

Saved by the…is it bell? Now why would someone be saved by that? Bells do not save lives. I must ask McGee later what the correct saying is. My blonde play toy looks more than grateful and rushes off to the kitchen, where Gibbs and I trail behind. We go to collect McGee and Abby in the living room but we stop short.

In the middle of the room an intense card game is happening and McGee seems to be winning. He looks like a child during Christmas that he is getting attention from Tony's relatives, and oh my, he has received some special attention. I cannot help but laugh out. Even Gibbs looks amused. McGee has been stripped of his formal shirt and is wearing nothing but his white undershirt and pants. Someone has slicked his hair back with gel, and lent him some chains and rings. He is smoking a cigar, and by all accounts appears to be winning a game of Rummy.

"Have you been adopted McGee", Gibbs asks.

"Gibbs", he says excitedly, "We're allowed to drink on duty right? I mean we aren't really on duty, because Tony was so I figured I could have some too. I'm drinking a man's drink!"

It is times like this that I know I made the right decision to stay in America. I do enjoy the people that I work with. It is also interesting to observe McGee to other men I have worked with in the past. As a woman I have been given the luxury of insight into these matters. McGee, although I would never tell him, is the kind of man I would want my son to grow to be, he is gentle and so aware of the rules. He and Tony are very interesting to study. Tony just does and asks questions later, he once told me that "it is always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" which perfectly captures his being. Tony loves to dance with trouble, as where McGee is terrified of it. However, over the years I believe Tony and I are breaking him of his dependence on status quo.

"McGee", Gibbs sighs, "It's time for dessert."

"But I'm winning", he cries indignantly.

"The game is not going anywhere", I reply, "And besides, I have a feeling you are going to enjoy what we are going to be eating."

He reluctantly comes where we sit down to see a spread of sweet delights. There are biscotti's, cannoli's, and every kind of Italian cookie known to man, and pies. This woman apparently is very grateful to Tony.

"I had no idea you were so flexible", I hear some boy that I believe goes by Jamie saying to Abby.

They are both sweaty, their hair is mussed, and their clothes ruffled. Gibbs head shoots up and looks ready to pounce. Well this could be quite interesting. Is it wrong to hope for some more drama? I have yet to have my fill. I haven't had this good of a time in a very long time.

"I do a lot of stretching in my lab", she replies as they take their seats. "So I can do cartwheels."

"That is awesome", he says.

"Abby", Gibbs barks.

"Yes Gibbs", she says innocently.

He doesn't have a question ready to pose that wouldn't embarrass Abby, so instead he is standing there with his mouth open and face becoming redder by the second.

"Is he having a stroke", Jamie asks.

"Gibbs", Abby says, "What's wrong?"

"Why are you out of breath", he demands glaring at Jamie.

"Oh", Abby says delighted, "We were playing twister!"

"Twister", I ask.

"You know the game with the spots", Jamie offers intelligently.

"I do not believe I am familiar with this game."

"Stay away from her", Gibbs barks out.

Tony walks into the room.

"Boss", he says looking much more sober, "Is there a problem?"

Gibbs feature soften as he looks at our Italian.

"No Tony", he says gently, "No problem."

And they say Gibbs is a hard ass. Nothing to hurt Tony's feelings, of course perhaps it is so that Tony does not kill himself by the end of the evening. I appreciate the humor in the stories being told and I myself am clearing enjoying being invited, however I would first pluck out my eye than invite my family to meet my work partners. Anything at this point could send Tony over the edge. I now understand why Tony does not speak of his family, despite their obvious flaws, there is a lot of love in the room and it must have been very difficult to have left. However I do not care for all the characters in the room, especially his father. I can only imagine how strained the relationship must have been when they were both living together. I can see great hurt in Tony's eyes every time his father speaks to him or about him. I also understand that hurt. Once we are all seated I see Tony explaining to McGee how to properly eat the desserts.

"Now that you're a goombah", Tony says, "You have to eat like a goombah. Take the biscotti and dunk it in your coffee."

"I have milk."

"That works too", Tony replies, "Trust me, it's delicious."

McGee seems to be much enthusiastic about this meal than the fish, and he is absolutely loving the attention that Tony and company are giving to him. I am glad that he can have this because often he is the geeky kid that no one pays heed to. Dessert wraps up without incident and many of relatives disperse to go home. Gibbs however is quick to prevent those from going home who he wishes to speak with. Now we should get answers.

Dominic and Tony left, after of course Tony got explicit permission from Gibbs, to go pick up something up at a store. The contents I am not sure about, nor do I care. This gives me much more time to talk to this family.

Beatrice, and Elena make steady work of cleaning the dishes while Carmine and James sit at the table, and after tracking down Bianca, she is also present. Tony's father sensing trouble has also stayed behind lingering by the fridge. Simona previously walked in with her "wounded" brother and mother, picked up some food and left. She then immediately returned upon realizing what was about to happen and is now fighting with Gibbs.

"I don't care what your reasoning is", she shoots, "No one is speaking to anyone. They are cleared!"

"They can come back and charge you with more crimes", Gibbs says.

"No they cannot", Simona spits right back, "Not when they have a confession that Carmine did everything. No matter what they charge us with we can say Carmine did it. They can't touch this family and you are not going to ruin that by digging around."

"Simona", I state, "No one is trying to screw them over. We are faithful to Tony. I should also remind you that your aunt is missing."

"My aunt is dead!"

I settle for glaring, "I was not present in the interrogation room, but I heard what you and Tony pulled off. You are too smart for me to believe that you do not know."

"Look", Simona declares, "You are not speaking to them!"

"Simona", Elena says, "We have to tell them sometime. However, we do not need everyone present."

"I am not leaving", Gibbs says simply, " and neither is my team, so you all are going to have to trust us. We are only trying to do right by DiNozzo and his career."

Carmine stands up.

"I love Tony", he says, "But I can't."

Gibbs marches right up to him and stands directly in front of him.

"You owe him", he says dangerously, "He did it for you, now you do this for him."

Carmine looks at Simona.

"No Carmine", she says strongly.

He looks back at Gibbs and nods.

"Alright man, what do you need to know?"

Simona has a hissy fit and throws her hands up and the air.

"Fine", she screams, "Don't listen to me, I just went to law school! The hell could I possibly know?"

She grabs her keys and slams the door shut, and in a funny way, I sympathize with her. I know what is like to be a woman in a male dominated culture and to not be respected because I am not one of the good old boys. I know that feeling of being silenced. Her advice to Carmine was right, but he trusts Tony and so trusts Gibbs, thus her training and education are being thrown out the window. That's just how it is sometimes. It is alright because women do have other advantages.

"Start from the beginning" Gibbs says.

"It started with Mary", Jamie offers quietly.

They quickly rehash how they took Megan and brought her to their shed and their reasoning.

"We just wanted to scare her" Jamie says, "We told her we were into weird sex games and tied her up, she wanted to score with Christian because he's a big shot around school and she wanted to shove that in Mary's face too. But then we just left her in there for a while and she went nuts. We pretended to be wolves and shit and she flipped out. We put the least embarrassing video online and sent the rest to her email to remind her that if she kept contacting Mary we would post the rest."

"And then", Gibbs asks.

"That was it", Carmine says, "We let her go. That was the end of it."

"So you don't know how she was killed", Gibbs asks looking quite relieved.

"We didn't know she was dead" Jamie says "until we saw her in the coffin."

Gibbs switches tactics.

"Ms. Brunelli", he says, "Did you know your mother was missing?"

"Not originally", she admits, "I thought she was dead. But then I learned the truth."

"They wanted our ports", says Peter DiNozzo.

"Who did", I ask.

"The Sanctis family", Peter explains.

"Ooh", I say, "That is quite interesting seeing is how Bianca married Adriano."

Peter glares at Bianca, "I know, that complicated things! But this started before all that. They're mafia, but not big time. They're a bunch of idiots with guns. They used to have more power but after the father was killed there was a struggle for power and there has been turmoil for years now. Because of a lack of central leadership they have fallen greatly and now no longer pose as great a threat. Anyhow, Enzo Sanctis wants control of the family and believed that by getting access to our ports it would put him in charge. We have a trading business with people overseas and he wanted to use us to smuggle in firearms. I have been telling them no for over a year now, and he can't afford to get into a fight with my family additionally so hasn't done anything ridiculous, until of course Bianca married his son Adriano."

I look over at the blonde who is looking guiltily at her feet.

"I didn't know", she says quietly.

"You're an idiot", Peter responds back sharply, "Anyhow after she married Adriano and stole all that shit they got pissed. They took Donna and told us they would return her when they got jewelry or they would go to the police and report Bianca. You can't just steal shit!"

"I said I'm sorry" she yells back.

"Shut up Bianca", Elena yells at her daughter.

"They made Donna talk", Peter continues, "and forced her to get into my business accounts. She's my accountant so she would have access. They made her change the numbers in our accounting book so it would like weren't reporting our taxes. They threatened to go public with the false information and kill Donna if I didn't give them access to the ports. My company couldn't afford that kind of scandal, the shareholders would pull out as we were being investigated, it wouldn't have mattered if it was truthful or not."

"Okay", Gibbs says, "That still doesn't explain how Meagan Broome ended up in Donna's coffin. It also does not explain why you called Tony up here."

Everyone is silent.

"Hey", Gibbs barks, "I want answers!"

"Do not raise your voice to me Agent Gibbs", Elena says, "I was trying to help my mother!"

"Why DiNozzo", Gibbs spits out.

"Anthony went after the Falone mafia down in Baltimore", she says quietly, "Enzo was trying to build power and by allying with the Falone's they would have been able to assert control and take charge. Anthony was a bargaining chip. Enzo would have made the trade, it was a good trade."

Gibbs throws a glass across the room. I look down in embarrassment for Tony. Oh how disgusting. These are the people that Tony stuck his neck out for.

"He's your son", Gibbs says grabbing Peter by the collar. "He's your blood. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Peter shakes Gibbs off angrily.

"We would have gotten him back", he yells, "After Donna was safe, I would have made sure I would have gotten him back."

"You don't get back people from the mafia", I say quietly, "and you Mr. DiNozzo being the esteemed business negotiator that you are, know that. Perhaps you intended to get your son back but you knew damn well that there was a little chance in hell of that happening."

"Who else knew about your plan", Gibbs barks.

"Elena and myself" Peter responds. I look around and note how pale the faces have become on everyone else.

"You were going to screw Tony", Carmine says incredulously.

"I was going to get him back", Peter shouts. "Why isn't anyone hearing that?"

"Why is your son an acceptable casualty but Donna Brunelli isn't", Gibbs yells back, "He's your son!"

McGee comes running in.

"Boss", he says excitedly still wearing his more Italian attire, "I found something!"

"What is it McGee", Gibbs finally asks after tearing his eyes away from Peter.

"It's actually amazing" Abby says rushing in, "How McGee got into the police servers-"

"What is it", Gibbs yells.

"Andrew Rossi", McGee says, "Has a son named Lucas Rossi."

"Oh shit", says Bianca.

"You get around", I tell her.

"I do", she says back to me.

I think I might actually like this one.

"You conned a cop's son", Elena screams. "What is wrong with you?! How did I raise you?"

"Okay" I say, "So that clears some things up. Let's for argument sake say that Rossi started out clean when he started on kidnapping case which led him to the Sanctics family because of the phone calls between Peter and Enzo. After spending time undercover in the family he recognizes the missing bride in that family too and can't think straight because of his anger towards Bianca. He wants to hurt this family so he is doing everything within his power to get back at Bianca. It's in his best interest for the Sanctis family to make good on their threats so you all suffer, he couldn't give a damn about the ports. He helps the Sanctis family kidnap Donna and set this all up. I'm betting Meagan Broome's death was a strategic move on his part, just another nail in the coffin."

"I need that autopsy report", Gibbs shoots, "I need that report now!"

"I can hack in", McGee offers, "And then send it to Ducky to review it."

"Do it", Gibbs says, "I need to know how she died and what forensic evidence they have. Mafia did clear that crime scene, we just need to know why."

Gibbs phone suddenly dares to go off.

"Tony" Gibbs barks, "What is it?" Suddenly however his face pales. "Where is Dominic, wait for Dominic." A pause. "What is the address? Ziva!"

I bring him a napkin and find a pen in my pocket.

He scribbles down the address and pats his pockets for his keys.

"Do not go in", he says, "Do you understand me Tony? You wait for backup! Tony! Tony!"

Everyone in the kitchen is silent waiting to see how this will unfold.

"Damn it", Gibbs yells snapping his phone shut, "Get McGee, Tony needs back up now!"

McGee hears his name and runs with us out to the car ignoring Tony's family angry protests.

"What has happened", I ask taking shotgun. Again, another strange term.

"Tony got a call from Donna", he says, "She was screaming and he heard shots fired. He left Dominic in the store because he couldn't get to his aunt in time. He went in the damn house!"

As we arrive to the scene we see that we have been beaten by NYPD and FBI. Now why are they here? I look over and see paramedics treating someone, and I see DiNozzo in cuffs sitting in the back of a cop car. What has happened here?

Gibbs quickly takes control of the situation and runs to Tony. I trail behind.

"Special Agent Gibbs", a man says, "So nice to see you again. Unfortunately this time your boy is going away for murder."

"What happened", Gibbs barks.

"He pushed our undercover cop outside a second story window. If he dies, oh I'm thinking death penalty."

"Give me two seconds", Gibbs barks back.

"I'm thinking no", the officer responds.

"Give them to me", Gibbs orders, "Professional courtesy."

"He has asked for a lawyer", the officer says smartly, "I cannot permit him to talk to other law enforcement officials."

"I am his lawyer", I state. He looks me up and down. Go ahead imagine me without clothes on, when I shut my eyes I imagine myself castrating you.

"Fine", he says, "Two seconds. As his lawyer you should also know that if he were to give some information regarding Meagan Broome's death we could perhaps cut him a deal."

"I shall take that under advisement", I say.

"You should also know" the officer continues, "That he should be forthright in this information, because if he is not, well gen pop doesn't tend to love cops."

Allow me to translate, that means Andrew Rossi is nowhere near dying and this is a tactic to get information. The officer leaves, and Gibbs points to McGee to get information on Andrew Rossi's condition with the paramedics.

Gibbs leans into open car door.

"What happened", he asks.

"He had a gun on my aunt", Tony says, "I got him by surprise and we both went out the window. There's no way that killed him! He was moving and cursing at me! And I didn't know that he was a cop! I didn't know!"

"It's okay Tony", Gibbs says reassuringly. "Look, tell them what they want to hear, it probably won't hold up in court. Tell them something until I have enough time to get the directors on the phone and sort this whole thing out. We figured it out Tony, it's done, and the heavy is not your family."

Tony looks down, and then back up.

"How long you need?"

"Three hours."

Tony looks away.

"No can do boss."

"Do you understand that you are going to be accused of murder, Tony?"

"Yeah boss I got that."

"Do you understand that this is the third time that you have been accused of murder?"

"Third time's the charm? What, you want me in jail?"

"I'm incredulous. I have never had an agent been accused this many times."

"I don't know if it helps, but I didn't do it."

"I know that DiNozzo. What I don't understand is why you can't tell me any details surrounding this. Defend yourself. Asking for a lawyer is going to prevent any chance to clear your name in the open."

"You know that saying boss that you have, about being a Marine? The one where you never leave a man behind? Well Italians have a saying too boss. You don't screw family. You don't go contro la famiglia."

"These people are not your family", Gibbs shouts, "We are your family! They are going to put in you gen pop Tony! They wouldn't do it for you! Defend yourself damn it! Tell them something about Meagan Broome's death! This is more than just your career now DiNozzo."

Officer Asshole has returned and is intruding in our space.

"Okay well time is up", he says. "Did we reach a resolution Antonio?"

Dick.

"I want a lawyer", Tony says quietly not eyeing me or Gibbs, "Another one. I don't want this one, I can't afford her."

"You want a lawyer", Carter asks happily, "Fine, we'll just have to keep you incarcerated until your trial. Congratulations Special Agent DiNozzo you are going to meet just exactly how many people you have put away over the years."

"I'll be dead before you get any information."

"Yeah, you know what, considering how little we have on you, I'm okay with that."

The officer shuts the door and before we can do anything the sirens are blaring and off.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: To all those that review regularly, I really do thank you. It means so much to me to here how people are taking the story and how people relate.

Warning: Language and extremely sensitive subject matter.

It's around four a.m. and all I really want to do is sleep. I don't remember being this tired in a very long time. I was furious before, but now that my anger is spent, I'm just tired. My hands are red and scraped from punching the wall and I was advised to have it looked at professionally but I just can't be bothered.

I love doing what I do, I'm good at it and I help serve my country. I love my country. I hate the politics however. People don't have honor anymore, they don't play by the same rules that I have played by my entire life. People don't have dignity either. DiNozzo would have died if I wasn't quick enough, and if my director wasn't polite enough, and all the bullshit that goes into it.

DiNozzo has honor and loyalty. Fuck that, he has courage. He did what he thought was right when he knew exactly how difficult it was going to be for him. Tony did the right thing simply because it was the right thing to do. That's rare in people today. If someone ever told me that I would come to respect some kid from New York who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth I probably would have punched them for being so ridiculous.

And politics? Twenty four hours ago they were ready to crucify him, my director was ready to wipe his hands of him, and now? Now, Tony is the poster child of NCIS. NCIS came in solved the case and saved the day. I know that's a good thing, but I'm too wrapped up in everything else. Where are the apologies? Anthony Di fucking Nozzo is not mafia, his family is not mafia; if anything they were victimized by them. Andrew Rossi, the cop that everyone was weeping over turned out to be dirty. The world is going to Hell.

Oh, and Meagan Broome? Abby and Ducky found some very compelling forensic evidence that I followed up on. Eventually we learned what happened. Her death had nothing to do with Carmine, James or Christian. Her rapist boyfriend Brandon Johnson's father paid a hit man to take care of Meagan Broome. It turns out that as much as she hated Mary, she hated her boyfriend for cheating on her more and was planning to testify with her evidence, (that evidence being the recording of him raping Mary that she used to torture Mary with). The Johnson's father had her killed and put her in the coffin so that the family would be charged with the murder and no one would think twice about looking at the Johnson family. Mafia never even touched Meagan Broome's life.

The good guys were wrong and bad, and the suspected turned out to be innocent. It looks so painstakingly beautiful for NCIS. NCIS beats out FBI and NYPD on a national case involving a common enemy, the mafia. DiNozzo for his efforts is getting a pay raise. That's great. When DiNozzo wakes up from the beating he received in gen pop I'll make sure to let him know. He has sustained enormous injuries to himself: broken ribs, fractured knee cap, concussion, blood loss (internal and external), and enough stitches to last a lifetime. He will have limited mobility for at least a month. But hey, at least he gets a pay raise. No apology though.

But you want to know the best part of all of this? I get to be the one to tell DiNozzo that despite his loyalty, bravery, and honor his family was ready to sell him out. And that ladies and gentlemen will be the final nail in the coffin. I am truly debating not telling him. I've never lied to him before, and I can't even believe I'm contemplating it now, but some part of me just wants to leave the kid the hell alone. He's been through enough.

His father and everyone in his family want to throw him a celebration party. I want to get him the hell out of New York as soon as he can make the seven hour trip home. Unfortunately, that's not realistic so I have made other arrangements. Tony has finally been taken care of by NCIS and is getting disability pay and the time off needed to recuperate from his injuries. I am taking a two week vacation to keep an eye on him. I also "working" a week in New York to finish up the odds and ends of the case, which really means a day and taking phone calls for the rest of the time. Tony will be living with me as soon as he is up to the trip. Until then we will be staying with his cousin Dominic. It wasn't hard to jump to the decision. The entire family had demanded entrance to see Tony, and I along with the entire medical staff prohibited them from entering his room which led to quite a disturbance. In the midst of it I noticed Tony's father sporting a black eye, and after assuming correctly it was Dominic that was cause of that glorious look, I spoke with him. I told him my situation and he immediately offered his house which I took advantage of and agreed to. I have a newfound respect for Dominic Leone. I no longer find him repulsive. In fact, Peter DiNozzo's black eye happens to be the most satisfying thing I've seen in a very long time. It truly was magnificent. It was black, purple, and blue with puss seeping out and a deep red cut at the top of it. I could have married Abby off to Dominic at that moment.

I have few doubts that this will not be okay with DiNozzo. Tony loves Dominic, and Dominic punched his father. What more could you ask for?

Tony makes some kind of snorting sound and I lean in. An eye opens and he looks at me hazily. This is the fifth time he's waken and like each other time he seems to have no recollection of waking up prior to.

"Hey", I say, "You with me?"

He nods his head sleepily.

"Like to hear you tell me that yourself."

He swallows and attempts it, "Hey boss", his raspy voice greets me.

I put my hand on his head. This is the fifth time I've had this conversation with him.

"How are you feeling", I ask.

He takes in his surroundings and keeps concentrating on his wrists.

"DiNozzo", I say, "You with me?"

He nods again, "Yeah sorry boss, what did you say?"

"I said how are you feeling?"

"I can't feel anything."

I smile to myself, "I guess that means the meds are working."

"I don't want them", he immediately tells me.

I lean in closer so our faces are almost touching.

"DiNozzo, trust me, you want them."

"Boss", he asks, "Where am I? This isn't the prison infirmary."

I smile, usually at this point DiNozzo would have nodded off.

"You were released. No charges. In fact you are getting a medal and a pay raise."

He looks at me curiously.

"You understand me", I ask him. He's slurring his words a little too much for my liking and drooling. His speech is almost unrecognizable; he has completely reverted back to his primary speech patterns. His jaw is loose, and he's pronouncing the words from the back of mouth, so this accent, plus the slurring makes it difficult to understand him. The drugs have relaxed him more so, so the jaw and tongue placement are even looser than before. His accent has never been near this strong. He's out of it for sure, but I do think he's comprehending.

"You just said I'm not in trouble", he states back to me, "And that I'm getting rewarded?" I barely make out the last word, it sounded more like "ur-or-eh,"

I nod and take a swab at the drool with my jacket. I ignore the flinch.

"What happened?" He says like nothing happened. Oh good, the denial game. Is that how we're going to play this DiNozzo?

"We figured it out", I tell him.

He looks at me expectantly.

"Not now okay", I tell him.

He shakes his head no.

"Tell me" he insists, "Is my family guilty?" He says it like, "Ell me, Si, (like sigh) amy ulty?" I don't even think he's trying to pronounce any letter that originates from the front of the mouth.

And honestly? About his family? Who cares? I could give a rat's ass about whether or not your family is off the hook. You almost died in there, and on top of that, it would have been a slow agonizing and demoralizing death. The nurses at the prison infirmary had to clean urine and sperm off of him. And he still didn't get a full shower so that means there are remnants of it still on him. Does DiNozzo care about that though? No. Just about his damn family.

"Only of kidnapping Meagan Broome, but they have been cleared of that thanks to Carmine's confession."

"I knew they didn't kill her", he says confidently. Well good for them and for you. Aren't you even angry about what happened? Okay, I'm being unfair, he's barely awake, but I can't calm myself, this whole thing just sucks.

"You were right", I tell him.

I then proceed to go through the whole deal with Bianca, Rossi, Sanctis, Broome, and everyone else under the sun. I had hoped that he would overwhelmed with all the information considering the state he was in, but not my DiNozzo.

"What does that have to do with me", he asks me.

Leave it to him to single that out.

"What do you mean", I ask playing dumb.

"Gibbs", he says quietly, "Please." (Not ibbs, not ease, damn it Tony)

I hold his hand and ignore the IV. With my other hand I cup his face.

"You remember what I told you after you kidnapped by that waitress?"

He smiles at me again, and I get that same reaction I did last time I ask him the question.

"Yeah", he says back hiding a grin.

"Tell me anyway", I tell him.

"That I was irreplaceable." That he pronounces almost perfectly. Good boy.

"That's right", I tell him, "Because you are irreplaceable." And one day, so help me God, I'll make you believe that.

He looks at me waiting expectantly. Shit kid, you're killing me here.

"Do you remember the Falone family?"

He nods, "I busted them." I hold for a second before I'm able to decode it, the letter B and T are not his friends.

"Yeah you did", I say back. "The Sanctis family wants to ally with them, and so it was decided that they would let go of their demands for the ports, and the blackmailing of Bianca if they were given something that would help them get in good with the Falone family."

He closes his eyes.

"They were going to trade me", he says.

I swallow back my emotions.

"Yeah Tony", I say. There's nothing else to say.

His face to falls to the ground and if he wasn't in pain before, he is now. He's devastated. People suck.

"Gibbs", he says, "Can you just leave me alone for a while?"

I'll respect that. I like to have my breakdowns without an audience too.

"I'll grab a cup of coffee", I tell him, "And then I'm coming straight back."

He nods, but doesn't look my way. I leave the room and try to settle myself. I also see a tray. Well hello misplaced anger. I push the tray of medical equipment over and I don't even care that five people are looking at me like I'm insane. DiNozzo and I cannot be the only ones to fall down. I grab my coffee and make my way back. I had planned on approaching the room charily to yes, eavesdrop, but upon hearing screaming from the room I rush in. I slam the door open and the scene in front of me halts. DiNozzo is on the floor in a corner with blood coming down from his arm, probably where the IV was ripped out. Three nurse orderlies are going at him and he is with some kind of needle is holding them at bay.

"What the hell is going on in here", I yell.

"Boss", Tony says shakily, "They aren't listening to me!"

He's still slurring his words but he's awake and at attention now. And he's much easier to understand him, still though, he sounds a bit like he's mentally challenged.

"Mr. DiNozzo", a male black orderly says, "Put the needle down, we are just trying to help."

"You stay the fuck away from me Chuckles", Tony yells right back, and then to me pleadingly, "Boss!"

"Hey", I yell at all of them, "Get away from him, I'll handle it."

"Who are you", a small redhead girl yells.

"Special Agent Gibbs", I say. That's all they need to know.

They aren't moving quickly enough so I yell just one more time to get my point across.

"Hey, now! Let's go, away from him!"

"Sir he's bleeding", the huge black orderly says, "He needs medical attention."

"Oh yeah", I ask him, "How's that going, because it looks like he's about to stab you."

"He is drugged", the man calmly responds, "He doesn't know what he is doing, and-"

"I do know", Tony says, "And I also know that I don't want you anywhere near me! I just came from fucking jail, you don't think I'll stab you?!"

"I told you", the blonde male nurse cries, "We should have kept the cuffs on him!"

That's it. I take my gun out. If anyone ever fucking touches DiNozzo again I'll fucking kill them. I don't care anymore. I just don't give a shit. This place is supposed to fix people, not exacerbate their problems.

"Everyone move away from him now", I say.

"Are you going to arrest him", the blonde yells.

"I'm going to shoot you", I tell him. And I think I actually mean it.

"You can't just shoot people", the redhead screams, "This is a hospital!"

Right because if I wanted to shoot them I would have to take them out of the hospital to a more shooting friendly place like a dark gutter.

"Does it look like I care", I scream, "Now away! Do we need warning shots here people?"

The redhead and the blonde scuttle away fleeing towards the door, leaving me with the biggest one.

"He needs help", he says unafraid. Well, I'm glad that this world doesn't have complete idiots in it, but why I do I always get stuck with the smart ones when I least need them?

"I'll let you provide it after I talk to him."

He finally nods and backs away, but doesn't leave the room.

"He's bleeding after the IV was torn out", he tells me, "I need to fix it"

I nod and scoot in to the corner where DiNozzo is hiding.

"Give me a minute", I tell him, "He's not going anywhere."

I crouch down to my agent.

"Hey", I tell him.

"I want out Boss", he tells me still holding the needle.

"Two days", I compromise.

"No", he says refusing, "I want out. I'm not staying here another minute, I want out."

"What happened", I ask him.

His eyes dart around.

"Where's the corn child?"

Oh the joys of morphine.

"DiNozzo?"

"Jason, whatever his name was."

"That was the other nurse", the biggest nurse provides.

"He left DiNozzo", I tell him. "You okay?"

He glares at me. Ask a stupid question…

"What happened", I ask.

With his free hand he inches his forefinger to me to come closer. I do so. Our faces are practically touching now.

"He started touching me", he whispers.

"Where", I whisper back.

He points to his hip. I happen to know that there is a giant bite mark there that broke blood which explains why Nurse Jason was attending to it.

"You have an infection there kiddo", I tell him. "Can I have the needle?"

"Not yet", he says, completely oblivious to the fact that I could very well take it if I wanted to. "I want to go home."

I nod my head.

"I know you do, but right now I need you to stay here for a little longer."

He looks like he's mulling it over, but ultimately refuses.

"No", he says, "I want to go Gibbs."

"These people need to take care of you."

"You don't want to anymore?"

Ah, the brutality of morphine is how honest you can become. The sober DiNozzo would never have said something like that.

"I will always take care of you", I tell him, feeling a little emotional more than I want to be.

"I told him to stop", he whispers to me. "He wouldn't listen."

"I'll make sure they listen", I say.

"When can I leave?"

"Let's take it a day at a time."

"I'll give you a day", he says emotionlessly.

"Alright", I say, "I'll take it."

Who are we kidding here, I'll be watching better than any hospital anyway. If there's an issue I'll just haul his ass back.

"Can I have the needle now?"

He shakes his head no.

"I might need it again."

"I promise you won't."

He looks straight into my eyes, apparently likes what he sees and hands it over.

"I trust you Gibbs", he says, "Please don't screw me over like everyone else."

I take the needle out of his hands and hand it over to the nurse behind me who quickly takes it.

"I'm not going to screw you DiNozzo", I say.

He doesn't move.

"Everyone does. Jeanne did, Chip did, my dad did, my whole family did, the director did, and now the cops did too. Even the nurses are! I have no one I can trust."

I slowly grab his arm and help him up.

"You have me", I say confidently, "I'll see you through, okay DiNozzo?"

He nods his head.

"I'm trusting you Gibbs", he says as I get him back on the bed.

I cup his face and have no words. This is all so fucked up. The other nurse comes around and helps me situate DiNozzo.

"Hey", DiNozzo yells, "I don't trust you!"

Which in DiNozzo speak apparently means, "You can't touch me." I put my hand out to push the nurse away and he immediately complies.

"I'm sorry sir", he says, "My fault."

I like this guy.

"His name is Tony", I tell him.

There is a bang on the door. Well that took long enough. I swear I could have shot both of them and left the building before it was reported that I had a gun on two nurses. DiNozzo however was not expecting any repercussions and jumps into the air. I sit on the bed next to him and wrap my arm around his shoulder.

"Hey buddy, it's alright", I tell him soothingly as security officers pour in with some man in a suit.

The suit-man speaks, "The hell is going on in here."

Tony whimpers. Well, shit. Next time DiNozzo asks to be taken off the drugs, I might just let- no what the hell is wrong with me? I need sleep.

"Nothing I say", while stroking my kid, heh, excuse me, agent. "There was a misunderstanding, it has been handled."

"I want him sedated", the man says, "And cuffed."

"You touch him", I say, "And you will regret it."

An army of security officers are ready to pounce and I can feel DiNozzo's breathing quicken. He's squeezing the hell out of my wrist but I don't care. If he breaks it, I'll just set it. He's scared to death and I'm not going to embarrass him further.

"Hey dickwad", I tell him, "Maybe you didn't get the memo, but those charges were dropped against him, he's no longer under the custody of the state, that's why there's no cop outside his door, and if you unnecessarily sedate him, so help me, you'll have a lawsuit like no other. This man is a hero and better than that he's my agent. Go ahead, test me. I know the best lawyers in town. You know Simona Parsano, that pretty bit that was on the news for upsetting the Meagan Broome trial? That's his cousin. I dare you to touch him."

Everyone in the room stops. The suit man eyes me and apparently decides that he doesn't need a lawsuit. Coward.

I show them my badge, "I'm going to have to ask you all to leave."

"Thomas", they ask the nurse that stayed behind, "Are you alright?"

"Everything is fine sir", he responds, "Not a problem, just a misunderstanding like Special Agent Gibbs said."

Finally everyone leaves except Nurse Thomas. He looks at me expectantly waiting for my call. This kid must have been in the military to be trained to handle the situation as well as this.

"He needs the IV", he tells me, "And I have a band aid for the blood."

"No", Tony groans, "No more, just leave me alone."

I hold him a bit closer.

"It's okay Tony", I say, "I trust Thomas okay?"

"No", he moans, "I want to go home."

"Well me too DiNozzo", I say loosing my patience, "But you're bleeding and you need an IV, you were hurt really badly."

He stiffens but doesn't shrug me off. "I don't feel bad."

"You can't feel anything because of the drugs, but trust me, it's bad."

"Okay", he says dejectedly.

I motion for Thomas to come forward and try not to feel like shit for yelling at him after everything he's been through, and after he "trusted" me. As Thomas reworks the IV, DiNozzo seems like he's nodding off.

"Hey", I tell him shaking him a bit, "Thomas has to check your hip okay?"

"No corn child", he tells me.

What the hell? Fine.

"No corn child" I repeat back.

Thomas goes around the bed and sits on the other end to get a better look. He pulls down the pants gently when DiNozzo suddenly becomes alive again and goes to throttle Thomas. I catch and hold him back while Thomas jumps out of his space. So apparently DiNozzo forgot where exactly his hip was in relation to the rest of his body.

"No", DiNozzo yells, "I said no! Get off me Gibbs!"

I comply. If he has to take a swing at Thomas than so be it. The man is huge and can take it. I'm not going to overpower him, not after what happened. He wants me out of his space, then fine.

"Tony" I say raising my voice, "It's okay, he just needs to check."

"I want my triple A papers!"

He means AMA, but like I said, he's out of it.

"DiNozzo", I yell at him, "Enough!"

"No" he yells right back, "You said I could trust you!"

"You promised me one night", I say right back to him.

"No I didn't" he screams.

Selective memory I see also is a side effect of morphine, that or the little shit is working me.

"He just needs to make sure it's not infected", I tell him.

"Why would my hip be infected", he asks loudly.

"Tony", I say exasperatedly, I'm too tired to know how to handle this.

"Oh", he says as realization dawns through the drug induced cloud. He completely deflates. I guess he remembers what else happened in the cell. His head falls into hands, and he starts rocking slightly.

Fuck this.

"You want to go home", I ask him.

He looks up at me, and nods.

"Get him his AMA papers", I say to Thomas. "We're done here."


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Again thank you to my consistent reviewers! Also, for those who do not like the direction of the story I do apologize, but I did outline the story before I story so I do know where I'm going with this. However, I did remove the one line that referenced Tony being sexually abused, because I feel that the story I have actually written, not just the outline in my head, does not cater well to that development. Many of you have expressed similar concerns, and I do agree with them on that. Originally this story was intended to be a bit darker to help deepen the relationship of Gibbs and Tony, but now I no longer find the plot dependent on that facet. That being said, the rest of it I do find necessary to the plot and I hope that you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think.

*Also, this story is about wrapping up. I am considering writing an AU story about Gibbs adopting a deaf Tony. They have sign language in the show already and I figure that I might extend and exaggerate it a bit. I am intimate with deaf culture and I think it would be a neat idea. Let me know what you think.

Survival Italian:

(Gibbs)

I stop the car, and I am beginning to regret my most recent decision of letting DiNozzo leave the hospital.

"Hey" I say gently to my trembling agent, "You sure you want to go in there? We can go somewhere else and handle this privately until you're back on your feet and we have the right meds."

He shakes his head no. "Let's go in" he grits out, "It'll be okay."

He's wincing and holding his ribs tightly to himself in the passenger seat. The drugs have worn off and now he's starting to feel exactly what he was put through.

"Okay" I say.

I undo the seatbelts and get out. I see two figures approach us, Dominic and McGee. I requested that McGee stay and help finish the paperwork and conclude the case, and it was granted. What the director doesn't know is that I'm doing all of it myself so Tony will have McGee during the day. Abby and Ziva also wanted to stay but they were sent home under protest. Ziva was angry with me for picking McGee over her, but I told her that right now DiNozzo needed to be around other guys, and he and McGee have a strange but effective relationship. I open Tony's door and lean in close as the two figures approach us.

"You're going to lean on me, okay? We're going to do this real slow."

He nods his head.

"Dominic" I say, "I'm going to help pull him out and he's going to lean on me, you take the other side."

Dominic nods his head in agreement still trying to peek in and see Tony.

"What about me boss" McGee asks.

"I'll let you know" I say, "You hover for now."

I lean back down to my patient.

"You ready?"

He nods again still holding his ribs.

"Listen" I say, "This is not a race, we are going to take this as slow as you need, you tell me if we need to stop. Understand?"

He nods again wincing. I lean in to try and take an arm, but it won't budge. Okay so that arm is too busy protecting his ribs, fine.

"Tony" I say gently, "You have to lean on me okay?'

He shakes his head no.

"Hurts."

Well, yeah.

"What about the other arm?"

He concedes. I slowly pull him out and get on his other side to catch him. We're going down, but Dominic quickly helps support DiNozzo by the waist. We're not moving and I'm not sure why. Tony is adjusting to his support, but then again Dominic and McGee are adjusting to Tony's new appearance. They're both shocked.

"Hey" I snap at McGee and indirectly Dominic. McGee snaps out of it and walks behind Dinozzo.

"Okay Tony" I say gently a bit bothered by Dominic's reaction. "We're going to start walking, you ready?"

He nods and we take a step, and then another. His breathing is increased and he's sweating. He's swaying but between the three of us he's not going anywhere.

"You want to sit" I ask.

He shakes his head no and takes a step.

"This is ridiculous" Dominic cries, "Kid, I'm going to carry you okay?"

And this is why I'm here, because as close as these two are, I know Tony better. Tony is ferociously independent and detests dependence in anything. I know this because I work with him day in and day out, and I know damn well that there is no way in Hell that Tony is going to let himself be carried off; it's amazing that he even conceded to this.

"No" Tony says immediately, "I can walk."

"You're in agony" Dominic responds, "Let me carry you."

"No Dom" Tony whines, "My ribs."

"Okay I'll be careful."

"No!"

Another step forward.

"Promise Tony, I promise I won't bang them."

"No" he says annoyed and takes another quick step. We are almost to the patio. With his free hand he's gripping onto my arm.

"I'll get you pain killers soon" I tell him.

Another step forward but this time he's shaking more violently.

"Let's sit down" McGee offers.

"No" Tony says, "Too cold."

Yeah, that's why. Another step forward and we are at the steps. There is an easier way to get up them. I lock eyes with Dominic and we come to a silent understanding.

"Tony" I say, "When I say so, you breathe in real deeply, okay?"

He looks at me questioningly, but nods. I like Dominic and McGee want him to rest but there are other ways of going about it. Don't ask, just do.

"On three, okay? One, two, three."

He breathes in as orders and between myself and Dominic we lift him over the steps. McGee runs forward and holds the door open as we shuffle in. He then goes to grab a chair and Tony sinks into it. Tony leans down onto the table and holds his ribs. Dominic and McGee are openly staring at Tony's wounds that are now illuminated in the light. I lean down and get close to agent's face which is currently buried in his arms. He's lightly crying.

"You did good Tony" I tell him and rub the back of his neck, "We're in okay?"

"Boss" he chokes, "My ribs."

"Okay." I look over to my "helpers". Dominic looks like he wants to bolt, and McGee has paled considerably. Well that's great. I pull out the prescription and give it to Dominic.

"Can you pick this up at your pharmacy" I ask him, "We need this now."

He nods, grabs it and runs off to his car.

"McGee" I say, "Do you know where everyone is sleeping?"

"Yes boss" he says his gaze fixated on DiNozzo, "Tony's room has a shower connected to it."

"Okay let's go there now you lead the way. I'm going to need you to help me carry him up okay?"

His eyes grow wide. "You want me to touch him?"

No, I want you to make magically appear upstairs. I'm thinking teleportation would be the most efficient, but hey, if we have magic, we might as well just cure him all together!

"McGee?"

"Uh, what if I hurt him boss?"

"You are all I and he have right now so you're going to have to do. Suck it up."

He nods and goes to DiNozzo.

"What do I do?"

"You listen to him and me." I lean down to Tony's level.

"We're going to help you get up to the showers" I tell him. I want that shit off of him and I know he does too. I should probably put him in bed but a person's dignity can only take so many blows. I get on his left side where he is willing to put his arm around me. We both stand and McGee pales further at Tony's grunt of pain.

"McGee" I say gently because I may be an ass but I very well realize how traumatizing this is for him, "You hold him by the waist."

McGee seems unsure of himself and circles around his belly.

"McGee" I say, "You have to touch him, okay? I grab his arm with my other hand and push it into DiNozzo's back.

"Right boss, sorry Tony."

"S'okay McGee" Tony says trying to might light of the situation, "This is the perfect excuse for you to get your hands on me."

McGee laughs slightly and gets a tighter walk slowly to the stairs which thankfully are only a few steps until we get to the second floor. However, Tony is panting and is moaning.

"Tim" I say, "We're going to sit, help me get him down."

The three of us gingerly take our seats on the first step to let Tony rest. As Tony regains his breathing I see McGee staring at him in shock. Tony rests his head on my shoulder.

"My ribs" he cries to me.

"Here" I say giving him my hand. "You squeeze as hard as you can."

He grasps onto and hell does he squeeze.

"The medicine is coming" I remind him. "It's alright son just a bit more and you'll be floating."

He grunts his consent.

"You want to try and walk again?"

He nods and I kiss him on the forehead, "Alright, we're going to do this real slow. You ready McGee?"

McGee is in awe of our behavior. He's young I remind myself and he needs to learn that there are different rules for this game. People in pain are changed beings, they aren't the same person anymore and their needs and wants change along with it. There is a decorum to this that has to be learned. I've been in combat, I get it. Tony's been in his own share of fire fights plus his own versions of Hell, so he gets it too. McGee however is still wet behind the ears, but by the end of this he'll have an idea of how to get it. McGee himself is sweating too but is with the program. We stand and we make our way up the stairs, each step more agonizing than the next.

"Boss" McGee finally shouts over Tony's cry of pain on one of the particular steps, "What is wrong with him? Are we doing something wrong?"

"He was beat McGee" I say back, there is no sugarcoating this, "He needs some painkillers and he'll be fine. Keep walking."

We finally make it to the bedroom and then the bathroom that connects. We lay DiNozzo onto the bed and McGee goes to run the bath. DiNozzo's trembling has intensified and his whimpering has followed suit. I start taking his shoes off.

"The warm water will help" I tell him, "You're going to be fine DiNozzo. Your cousin will be back soon." I call for McGee who is at my side immediately.

"McGee" I tell him, "Get me some scissors."

Before I can notice his absence he's back with the requested tool. I start cutting through DiNozzo's hospital shirt and pants. I don't want him to have to move his arms because it will provoke his ribs. McGee gasps and I stop myself from dragging him into a corner and telling him to suck it up. I realize how upsetting this is for him, but I also understand that Tony is too far gone to realize McGee's pity so I'm letting it go. I have him stripped down to his briefs which are incredibly bloody on the one side from the bite mark. His ribs are tightly wrapped, and shit. The wrappings are too tight, oh those fucking nurses! No wonder he's in pain. The skin is protruding over the bandages which means the ribs themselves are being squeezed too tightly. That's prison politics ladies and gentlemen. Dirty cops don't score too highly, but damn it all my kid was innocent and fucking right! I throw the damn scissors across the room.

"DiNozzo" I say to him yelling over his cries, "I'm going to fix it okay? It's too tight."

"No" he grunts.

"It's okay Tony" I say over his crying, "I'll be real gentle I promise." I snap my finger at McGee and the point to the bed. He climbs onto the bed and point him further back until he's sitting against the headboard.

"You hold up DiNozzo" I say.

"I what Boss" McGee asks.

"Did I stutter" I ask back. I lift DiNozzo, ignore his grunt of pain, and move him until Tim can drag him back against him. Tony is in too much pain to realize how intimate the sitting is, but McGee is quite aware.

"McGee" I say, "Hold him for God sakes! This is your teammate, we support each other got it? You're going to have to touch him!"

"He would hate this" he says back to me and he looks like he's going to cry any minute now, "He would really hate this boss."

I calm myself before I scream at him, "You see him protesting here? That's a sign McGee. Just hold him tightly okay? He's in pain Tim, all bets are off. And let's not talk like he's not in the room okay? He can hear us. You talk to him while I tend to this."

"S'ight Meh-Ee" says my senior agent, "Mah ah-ight."

I try not to wince at the harshness of his accent for one of two reasons. One being that it is an incredibly harsh accent and it's so different from the usual professional DiNozzo that I know that uses proper language and speech to present himself. Two being that it means he's in a lot of pain if he's falling back into old speaking habits.

McGee ever so gently wraps his arms around Tony's stomach.

"Oh God" Tony yells incredibly loudly. McGee jumps like hell and I can't help but notice that I do too.

"What" McGee is screaming, "What did I do? I'm so sorry!"

McGee keeps rambling on and is trying to get out of the position they are in so he can see if Tony is okay, and just about to help him do that until I notice that Tony is laughing.

"You're an ass" I yell at him.

"Mah so-ur" he wheezes out. I think that was an apology. "Mah uoldn't elp eht."

There are tears running down his face from both pain and laughter but he doesn't seem to notice them. He pats McGee's leg twice still laughing. He's wincing in pain and I can tell that the laughing is furthering his pain but with the adrenaline he just can't seem to stop himself.

"That wasn't funny Tony! I thought I hurt you!"

Well at least it taught McGee a lesson.

"Alright" I say, "Enough, Tony I'm going to start now okay?"

He bends his neck back into the curve of McGee's shoulder and resigns himself.

"Tony" McGee says gently in his ear, "You tell me if I'm hurting you okay?" And with that my probationary officer hugs Tony around the waist without any hestitation. Good boy.

I start to touch the wrapping, but a shaky hand holds mine down.

"Tony" I say gently, "You let me help you, understand?"

"No boss" he says back eyes tightly shut.

I don't want to force him because that's the last thing he needs but this needs to be attended to immediately.

"Tony" McGee says uncharacteristically stepping up, "Hold my hand okay? You squeeze it when it hurts."

I smile at Tim. Very good boy. Tony takes his hand and squeezes. I try to work as quickly as possible and finally I free him from the oppressive bandaging. They are wrapped quite tightly and Tony is feeling each and every time I move them. McGee however is too young to realize that its his job to cater to Tony's whines and talk to him. Watch McGee, like this. This is how you handle these situations. I take my hand cup Tony's face and run my fingers over his brow.

"DiNozzo" I tell him, "Almost done." I look pointedly at McGee.

McGee, this is how you comfort someone. The only way to learn this lesson is exactly how we are doing it now, I just wish the person wasn't Tony or in this degree of pain.

"Okay kiddo" I say, "Shower time. Let's get you cleaned up." As I go to assist McGee in righting Tony, Dominic appears in the doorway with a pill in hand and a glass of water. He looks afraid to enter and is entirely uncomfortable with his cousin's current state of undress and comfort level. Okay so Dominic has no intention of entering, great. Another skittish colt, that's exactly what we need right now. I have absolutely no doubt that if the situation was reversed Tony would know exactly how to act and with the right decorum. I go over and grab the pill and leave the water.

"He swallows them dry" I say absently as an excuse. I kneel by the foot of the bed and tap my agent's face.

"Hey, hey" I tell him, "Here, take it."

Tony grabs at it like his life depends on it and swallows it. I ruffle his hair and wait.

"Let's give it ten minutes" I say, "These are supposed to work quickly."

We all stay frozen in our spots each person afraid to move. Five minutes in I realize how ridiculous this is and tell McGee to go run the water. We wait it out until Tony's muscles relax and his focus dims.

"Tony" I tell him quietly, "We're going to get you bathed okay?"

He lolls his head at me. Between myself and McGee we get Tony situated into the bath.

"An do it 'igh-self" Tony grumbles.

"Yeah I know" I tell him humoring him.

"If he can do it himself, let him do it" Dominic says who is now hovering in the doorway; not fully in the bathroom.

I glare at him in response. I do not need any idiots encouraging DiNozzo. I have a very specific way of handling these situations and I dislike curve balls. McGee who with me is on his knee helping to support Tony has tensed up at the confrontation.

"Hold him" I tell McGee and I walk into Dominic's personal space.

"Get out" I hiss at him.

Dominic's eyes look they are about to pop out of his head.

"It's my house" he cries.

"Hey" I seethe, "Watch it! Keep your voice low, Tony does not need any additional problems right now. Your cousin can't do it himself, which means we have to, so piss or get off the pot."

He's silent, and damn it all I do not have time for this shit. I just want Tony clean so he can go to bed. Today needs to end. It's five thirty in the morning, and it needs to end.

"He's my cousin" he finally says, "I want to help."

Well that's wonderful. What should have been a two minute job is not going to be come a full blown hour. I don't need this man, nor do I want him. I have McGee who is part of this team so he should be here and that's it. We don't need the entire family in this very small bathroom.

"Look" he says, "Tony was real upset that no one was there for him when he got hurt down in Virginia."

Which time? You people don't call for a lot of things.

"I need to be here" he tells me.

I don't have time for this.

"You want to help" I say, "Fine, get some clothes for us to change him into. He'll need underwear too."

"I'll go get some of mine."

"Good, go."

I leave him and return back to my agent. I scroll my shirt up and grab a cup and fill it. I make quick work of cleaning his hair and getting that shit off of him. I see McGee start to comprehend what it is that he is looking at it and his face start to fall.

"McGee" I bark, "Go help Dominic."

I can't afford to have him start bawling here like a child and embarrass DiNozzo. McGee to his credit schools his features at his recognition of my dismissal.

"Sorry boss" he says, but does not leave but instead grabs the soap and goes to help me.

"Watch his ribs" I tell him.

"No" Tony shouts, his conscious somewhere emerging through the drug induced cloud, "It hurts"

He seems to realize where he is and slams his fist down inadvertently splashing me and McGee. Ah clarity has returned surprisingly fast.

"The hell" he proclaims, "No, fuck this. Get off of me, I can do it myself. Get the fuck out. Hell's wrong with you perverts."

Okay so the speech is still harsh but at least it's comprehendible. In fact it's so comprehendible that McGee has jumped as far as way from DiNozzo as possible. He will have to learn. I bring the cup over his head one more time and realize that's as far as he's going to let me. It's alright, he doesn't smell like a urinal anymore.

"We're done DiNozzo" I tell him gruffly, "McGee, go find Dominic and get the clothes."

"Get out Gibbs" he says dangerously, and I realize that somewhere I crossed a line in his mind.

"Tony" I say back to him, "I'm going to help you dress and then you can go to bed."

And despite the drugs, the discomfort, and the fact that he is sopping wet in his cousin's bath tub he still is managing to glare at me. Time to change tactics.

"Hey you want to go back to the hospital?"

Well that worked. A quick head shake.

"I don't want you as a nursemaid either" he retorts.

"You can't have it both ways."

"Boss" he says, "This is not better."

"DiNozzo" I say thankful that we are back on common ground, "I know that."

"I'm fine."

"You just forget how you couldn't get up the damn steps?"

He rolls his eyes but when McGee gives me the sweatpants DiNozzo doesn't resist my helping him.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Thank you to all of my reviewers!!! I hope to be updating daily again, so there shouldn't be anymore gaps of waiting. I don't love this chapter, but the next one I really please do stick with it. The next chapter features McGee's point of view which I was really excited to explore. Also for those of you interested in a deaf story I really do like the idea and will be pursuing after I wrap this up.

Survival Italian:

Famiglia: Family

Basta: Enough

Per favore: Please

Dificil: Difficult

So apparently bringing Tony to Dominic's was the best thing I could have ever done. Tony is withdrawn and depressed for obvious reasons, but being here is slowly pulling him out of his funk. However, it is a slow pulling out and I swear, that I might actually have to kill Tony by the end of this. Some days DiNozzo refuses to get out of bed and others he just wants to be around people. The great thing about Dominic is that he seems to be almost as tuned into DiNozzo as I am. Almost. Dominic also, unbeknownst to me was an army medic which is perfect because Tony is comfortable with Dominic treating him, well, sort of.

Another real treat that I have discovered is McGee. I know he's smart, and that he's a good person, and loyal, but what I did not know is how good he is at working DiNozzo. Over the last few days they've become quite close, and McGee to his credit has learned to stand up to DiNozzo's temper tantrums and call him on it. And trust me, there have been temper tantrums: DiNozzo refusing to take his medicine, DiNozzo refusing to speak to our boss, DiNozzo refusing to let me look at him when I could clearly tell he was bleeding from underneath his shirt, DiNozzo refusing to take any calls from his family, well okay, that one I didn't really mind. But all in all? He's been impossible and he's been testing everyone every single chance he gets, which mind you isn't many because of the drugs that he is still on. Without them he's in agony, which is something he forgets every time that I tell him to take them. He likes his headspace, which I can't blame him for, but he is actually in agony. He's just furious, and to be honest if not for the drugs, he'd be dangerous and I don't know how I would handle him. At least the drugs dilute some of that anger. Well that's not true, they also fuel a lot of it.

It is normal what he's feeling, and I do not fault him for any of it, but it has to stop before he explodes or really hurts himself. He could have died in that cell, it was seven against one. The fact that he's breathing is a miracle, and I am not about to let him challenge the odds again. We have tried to keep him as entertained as possible, but it has been taxing. The continuous stream of movies has been our primary source, but DiNozzo can only sit still for so long. It was Dominic's idea to download more songs on Tony's iPod, which actually was a brilliant idea. Apparently Tony loves music. Five days in and we almost have a schedule down pat and everyone seems to be okay with it.

Tony and I have been sharing a room, under great protest let me assure you, but like everything else we too have become accustomed to a routine. Today, like most other days I get up around seven, earlier than the other occupants in the house, and go grab the morning paper and fresh bagels. I return back around eight, put the bagels on the counter and start reading the paper. Around nine Dominic enters, waves hello to me, and then disappears somewhere. The two of us are getting better at tolerating one another. I hear the shower upstairs and can now place McGee. At nine thirty I go to collect DiNozzo. I find McGee in the room sitting on the edge of the bed with Tony still laying in it looking straight up.

"Hey" I tell him, "Breakfast."

"Not hungry" DiNozzo tells me.

Okay so it's going to be one of those days. The first day he refused to get out of bed, and the second he refused until around lunch. The last two days we have gotten up and out but with difficulty. I'm not stupid and I know damn well that my agent is depressed. When full clarity was returned to him so he could ponder over the events that had transpired he became withdrawn and quiet and lifeless. He's in a trance and the fact that he can't move without assistance only exacerbates his depression. He has nothing to do all day but sit around and think about how upset he is. His family has called several times but after he threw the phone out the window, and the flowers that were sent in the mail (through a different window) I decided it was best to respect his wishes and so I have cut off all family interaction with him with the exception of Dominic.

"Tony", McGee says softly, "This is ridiculous. How am I supposed to watch this movie without you? I need the commentary to fully appreciate the cinematic masterpiece."

"I thought we were watching Austin Powers", Tony says back.

"Which I think is a stupid movie", McGee says, "But you have been quite insistent that I've been missing out."

"It's a cultural movie", Tony says, "It has pop culture, famous actors, and the beginning shot was all in one take, with all those people, that's insane!"

"Which is why I need you", McGee says.

"Probie", Tony sighs closing his eyes, "You're not working me."

"I guess not", McGee says. He moves over to the other side of the bed and lies down.

"What are you doing?"

Yes McGee, what are you doing?

"Waiting you out", McGee says challenging him.

Tony outright laughs. "You think you can beat me at laying here? I can't even get up, hell I can't feel half of my body, let's see how twitchy you get within five minutes."

"That's not what I think", McGee responds, "I just think that you'll get sick of me soon enough and want to leave."

"This is a trick", Tony says.

"Yes, yes it is."

"You're not supposed to tell people that you're tricking them when you're doing it."

"That's why this is especially tricky."

"I'm not getting up."

"Neither am I."

"Is this something you learned from playing online?"

"No, this is something I learned from you. To be so annoying that the other person has no choice but to leave the situation either by confessing, or in this case, getting up."

"Oh so you think you can out annoy me?"

"I'm a geek who pretends he's a fairy online. Do you know how much I could annoy you? Let's talk about the fundamentals of the game-"

"Come on", I hear Dominic yell from the living room downstairs. Apparently in this family intercoms are unnecessary and yelling from one room to another is perfectly acceptable. "I'm starting this, and I'm eating!"

"You're missing the beginning shot", Tony says.

"I hate stupid humor."

"Define stupid humor."

"Austin Powers."

"Define good humor."

"Scrubs."

"Sometimes I hate you."

McGee laughs.

"Come on Tony", he says, "Let's get up, okay? This is stupid."

There is silence.

"Yeah I know", he finally admits, "It's just frustrating McGee not being able to do anything."

"It's just the drugs Tony", McGee responds gently.

"I hate being like this", Tony says candidly.

"We hate it too", McGee responds laughing lightly. "So can we get up?"

Tony glances over at him and then me. A smile is tugging at him, and I can't believe this but I think that McGee actually did it.

"Okay McTricky" DiNozzo says, "You win this round."

I'm smiling despite myself and ruffle Tim's hair. Very very good boy.

"McGee" DiNozzo says as I help right him, "Can you tell Dom to hold the movie until after breakfast?"

McGee nods and runs off to do so.

"You leaving me today boss" he asks me as we make our way onto the floor.

"Yeah" I reply, "That going to be a problem?"

"I'll be fine" he says.

"That's not who I was worrying about."

He smiles to the floor.

"DiNozzo" I say as we hobble to the stairs, "You behave yourself, you understand me?"

He glances at me and after a beat responds.

"I'll try my best."

"Try harder than that."

We make our way to the kitchen and after I situate DiNozzo for breakfast and when I am satisfied he's eating with McGee and Dominic I go to change. This morning I am going to the police station to help tie up some ends, which I really don't want to do. I don't want to be around the people that almost killed my agent, I don't want to be around the people that accused my agent of criminal activity, I just don't want to be around them, but most of all, I don't want to leave DiNozzo. It's not that I don't trust Dominic and McGee it's just that I trust Tony more, and if Tony doesn't want to do something, I'm pretty sure neither of them are going to be able to make him do it. It's around nine and I'm about to leave except I hear what seems to be a fight starting. That's great DiNozzo, start the day off with a problem nice and early. I'm glad to see that you're listening. I walk into the kitchen and hear Dominic pleading with him.

"Come on Tony", I hear him saying. "I'm going to help you, okay?"

"Don't touch me", I hear Tony growl.

That's new development. No one touches DiNozzo without his explicit say so or else he goes nuts. He's always, always had issues with his space but after recent events any perceived violation of it just makes him angrier and more defensive.

"So what", Dominic asks, "You're just going to sit here all day? Tony, you're covered in milk."

"Don't touch me Dom", Tony replies.

"Tony", I hear McGee pleading, "This is ridiculous, and you know that this is ridiculous. We have plans and you're going to stymie them so you can sit in a puddle of milk? Now enough, let's not start the day off like this."

"Antonio", Dom sighs, "Basta, per favore, don't you want to watch the movie? We got all of your favorites."

"You touch me and I'll bite you" Tony snarls. And that right there is the only negative of staying with Dominic; my senior agent who has proved to be brilliantly resourceful is reduced to an angry bickering with a sibling over whose toy is whose. The two love each other, but the way they handle each other is like they did when they were children and the same rules apply.

"Well fine", Dominic sighs, "It seems that you have it all worked out, Tim, let's go."

"What about me", Tony cries.

"You can see the screen from here."

Tony is incredulous.

"Yeah well fuck you Dominic", he yells back.

Oh I've been letting the cursing slide, but that boy just pushes me to the limit. He's in pain and out of it I remind myself. He's on a million drugs and can't move I remind myself. If I hurt him I will have to train another field agent and I remind myself how much I hate the majority of the population.

"Tony", McGee says, "If you need us, just call. We'll be in the living room."

I hear glass being hurled and then smashing against something hard.

"Fuck you too", Tony shouts back, "I don't need your help, I can get up by myself."

No you can't. And if you try, I will kill you. You know, he is stupid enough to try, and I'm about to go in, I say about, well, let's give three minutes.

Dominic sighs again, "Look man, when you're ready, you let me know."

"I'm not a child", Tony screams angry that his baiting tactics have failed, "You can't just blow me off!"

Dominic stops and retreats back. I dare to peek over to see what is happening. Dominic has crouched down and is in Tony's face which is impressive for a man of that size.

"Hey", he says with a bit of an edge, "Look, I know you're in pain, and I know you're drugged to the gills, and I know that you're pissed at the family, and Tony you have every right to be, but I am not blowing you off, and I am not your father and I don't want to hear another word from your mouth that compares me to him. You understand me?"

"Did you know", I hear Tony ask quietly.

"Did I know what kid", Dominic asks patiently.

"About what Elena had planned", he says.

I hear a body being pushed onto the cabinets. I don't want to, but I will stop this if Dominic continues.

"You don't ask me that", I hear Dominic scream in his ear, "You fucking know I didn't know, you know that Tony! You and me, we're brothers, and I wouldn't do that to you, you don't ask me that again, you understand me? Hey, are you listening smart ass, I don't want to hear it again!"

"Well what did you know", Tony screams, "You had to have known some of it!"

I hear Dominic get up and walk around. This is the first time I've heard of DiNozzo taking issue with Dominic.

"Tony", I hear him say gritting the name out, "You're pushing it. I didn't know jack shit and you know that."

I hear another glass being thrown. The problem is that Tony apparently is right near the sink with a bunch of dirty glasses in reach.

"Damn it Tone", Dominic says, "Would you stop throwing all of my mugs, I don't have that many. I live alone."

"It's not my fault that your fucking fiancé died and left you!"

And that's my cue to enter. Before Dominic can charge him I'm already holding him back.

"Hey", I tell him I his ear, "Walk it off, go walk it off."

"Damn it Tone", I hear him screaming while fighting against me, "That was fucking low!"

"Walk it off", I order him, "Go, now."

I push him away from the situation and he doesn't resist me. He passes through the living room and goes out to the backyard slamming the door.

"You little shit", I say yelling at Tony, "That was uncalled for!"

"I can't fucking walk Gibbs" he yells right back at me, "I don't want to hear about my poor famiglia, yes this must be so difícil for them!"

That's it. I grab his face and hard.

"Watch your mouth", I tell him, "And that family member is the one who is taking off from work to stay home to be abused by you!"

"Bite me", Tony yells, "I can add it to my collection!"

McGee's head swoops to our direction but wisely says nothing. Tony goes to grab another glass, but I catch his arm.

"DiNozzo", I yell, and good the brat jumps a little, "I am pretty damn sure we have had conversations about you throwing things at people!"

"Let me go", he yells, "You let me go!"

"No" I yell right back, "Tony, it is 10 in the morning, we are not doing this all day!"

I grab him and start to drag him to the living room. I have to go and I can't leave this issue unresolved. I need him settled so I can go because I know damn well that there is no one else in this house that is going to hold him accountable for jack shit. You can't talk to people like DiNozzo, he's too smart and knows exactly what buttons to push on each and every person.

"Hey", Dominic says reappearing back, "Just let him go. Don't hurt him. He doesn't know what he's saying."

Apparently Dominic Leone does not trust me with his cousin. Well…that's fair. Our last squabble involved me straddling him and holding his arms to force him to take some damn pill. Alright, so maybe control escaped me at that moment.

"He's not staying in the kitchen to keep terrorizing people", I say back dragging him to the couch. I throw him onto it and I don't care if it hurts or not. I loom over him and grab his fingers and start bending them backwards until I know he has to be feeling it.

"Hey man", Dominic says, "You're hurting him."

I ignore Dominic and keep pushing until finally I see some reaction from DiNozzo. He has no energy to fight me, and he knows better than to try, but that doesn't stop him.

"Let me go Gibbs", he grits out.

"Stop struggling" I tell him so quietly near his ear.

"Gibbs", McGee starts in, "You're hurting him."

"Let me go", DiNozzo pants out.

"Stop struggling", I say again.

"Tony just calm down for Pete's sake", Dominic yells.

"Boss", McGee says raising his voice, "You're going to break his fingers."

That's another new development. McGee has become incredibly protective of DiNozzo. The two of them have been talking more and more, and Tony for whatever reason seems to listen more to Tim than myself or his cousin. However its times like these when I want to just tell McGee to shut up. I know a thing or two about breaking fingers and there is still more pressure to be applied until that happens. I don't understand how he could actually think I would break his fingers. I'm trying to help here damn it, I just have a very different relationship with DiNozzo than he does. Of course on the other hand it is always nice to have some voice in the room saying that you are crossing the line because with DiNozzo that line moves constantly.

"Knock it off", I order to DiNozzo and finally I get some kind of response. He stops completely. I push back harder on his fingers over the edge of the couch and then let go. The problem is that when DiNozzo has problems like these he needs to get them out of his system by doing something physical like running. However, because moving is out of the question he's just stuck in this cycle of depression and rage.

"McGee", I order, "Turn the damn movie on."


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Thank you again to those that have consistently reviewed! You all have been

wonderful and provided reviews with real depth and for that I am very grateful.

Survival Italian:

Fanculo: Fuck

Mia cugina: My cousin

(McGee)

So we have good days and bad days. Today seems to be a bad day. The problem is is that Tony is very independent and the fact that he has to rely on us for basic daily tasks is not sitting well with him. Plus, he's uncomfortable. If I were Tony I'd probably be worse. Well, maybe not worse, but I can't fault him. It's very odd for me personally to be in charge of him, because it has always been the other way around. To see him reduced to this state is unnerving. Luckily for me, for once Tony isn't going about to give me a hard time, but instead it's Gibbs and Dom. Maybe he sees them as challenges or threats or whatever. I don't care, and I'm not going to demur it. As difficult as he has been the two of us have actually been doing rather well.

We are currently watching Lethal Weapon II, for which I am thankful because I did not particularly enjoy Austin Powers. Gibbs has gone down to the police station, and Dominic had to make an emergency call back to the garage (he's a mechanic) for an important client. That leaves me with Tony…alone. It's not that I'm nervous, but I have absolutely no doubt that if Tony so decides to eat me alive, he could very well do it.

Speaking of Tony, he looks miserable.

"Hey" I say, and this is stupid, I know it's stupid, I should just leave him alone, but I can't stop talking, it's a real flaw, "You want to do something else?"

And crap now he's looking at me.

"Like what," he asks dangerously.

I should have just let him stew in his juices. He's mad and pissed at Gibbs, and I feel bad, so what do I do? I go poking him. Shut up Tim, just shut up.

"I don't know, have any ideas? You don't look…happy."

I said shut up, not keep talking.

"I don't look happy McGee?"

And that's snarling. He's going to leap off of the couch and kill me. Wait, no, he can't. He can barely move, he can barely move, he can barely move, don't say anything, don't you go and say something.

"What about a game of cards?"

What did I just say?

"I don't want to play cards McGee."

Right. Cards are stupid.

"Well what do you want to do?"

"I want to go home."

Really? I thought he was enjoying New York. He's so in his element that it's scary. Little things about his personality I now understand seeing him at home and with his family.

"I thought you loved being here."

"I'm done with it."

I put the movie on pause. Maybe I can get him to open up.

"Hey, put the movie back on! This is not Dr. Phil!"

Or not. Bad move, bad move, bad move, ah shit just hit the damn button, and uh oh. That was not play, why did the movie start again, oh crap he's going to actually kill me. The one thing that brings pleasure to his day and I'm ruining it.

"McGee!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Are you kidding me with this?"

"I'll fix it, sorry Tony."

I hit another button and the TV comes on and it's Springer. Wrong button. I can hack into anything but I can't work a DVD player. Yeah, you're really brilliant Timothy. Okay here we go, this should bring us back to-

"Hey, leave this on."

The title of the show reads "Confronting my mom's sugar daddy."

"You're serious?"

"What?"

"This is what you want to watch?"

"Is that a problem McGee?"

"No, no problem at all. I also enjoy watching people confront their mom's sugar daddies."

He's looking at me again, and he's showing his teeth, and wait. Oh good, that's a smile, and he's laughing. Ha! I relax back into the chair and watch the remaining fifteen minutes of Springer. After the show concludes there are commercials for Maury and they are doing paternity testing.

"You game" I ask him.

Another smile.

"Heh let's do it McGee. Bring on the trash."

I nod and make my way over to the next channel as we both sit and prepare to have our brains rot. It turns out that watching Maury with someone else who can comment on it is a lot more fun than just watching it by yourself. Tony has something to say about each contestant, each woman, each potential father, and each baby. No one is safe. And as much as I hate to admit it, I have never had this much fun watching TV and I can't wait for the next Maury episode. If my mother knew that I was looking forward to the next Maury episode I think she might actually die. The next commercial comes on and nothing from DiNozzo, in fact he's been much quieter. I look over and examine; something's wrong.

I put the show on mute and walk over to his side of the couch and sit down close.

"Hey" I say gently, "What's wrong?"

"My ribs" he says.

"They hurt?"

That's impossible with the amount of drugs he's on, but still something's bothering him.

"Itches and it stings a bit. Dry skin."

I touch his shirt and go to take it off. Tony grabs my hands unexpectedly.

"What are you doing?"

He's…nervous.

"I want to check the area. I can unwrap the bandages put cream on and then rewrap them."

He looks at me like I'm special.

"Its okay" he finally says, "You don't have to."

"You're uncomfortable" I say back, "It's not a big deal."

He eyes me again but nods his consent. I run into the bathroom grab some cream and come back and gasp. And now he's looking at me again. I mean I know I told him to take his shirt off but I didn't expect to see that many bruises.

"Ta friggin da" he says.

I sit back down on the couch and all of sudden I realize exactly how close I am to Tony. I can see every single bruise on his torso and this is just invasive and personal, and I have no right to this. How could a police officer who has sworn to protect the citizens put another agent in gen pop? He was innocent and he was right! I just can't understand how that could happen or where in the thought process someone thought that was okay.

"You don't have to do this McGee" Tony says gently.

"Sorry" I say back, "I can do this, and I want to."

I gingerly unwrap the holding on his ribs and once they are all of I go for the cream. He stops me though, makes a lewd comment and does it himself. Or tries to anyway. He doesn't have full range of motion in his arms so he can't get his back. I gently take the cream from and he slowly turns around to give me his back.

"Let me know if I'm hurting you" I tell him. He grunts in response. I gently pick up the cream and do his back.

"How bad did it hurt" I ask him. And why? Just shut up. His back stiffens and I don't think he's going to answer but eventually he says something.

"Pretty bad" he responds back.

"I'm sorry Tony."

He tries to turn around to meet my gaze but I don't let him and gently direct him back to our primary positions.

"What the hell are you sorry for? I'm the one that dragged the whole team up to New York."

"I'm sorry we couldn't clear you in time."

He snorts, "McGee, you guys saved my life. I wouldn't have lasted much longer in there if our director never made to the call to theirs telling them exactly what happened."

"Still, I just" I stop touching his back, "How could they do something like that?"

"Tim" he says quietly, "It's the nature of the game. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into."

"It doesn't make it right" I say back and resume my task.

"Hey" he says, "When your sister was accused of killing that guy, did you ever have any doubts?"

I stop my ministrations.

"I know she didn't do it in her right mind" I offer, "My sister wouldn't do that."

"Yeah but did you ever think, hey maybe she actually did it?"

I'm quiet. I don't know what the right answer here is.

"I'll take that as a no" he says back, "But with me, if they told me that they found a tape of them killing that girl, I would have believed them. It's family though, you know? Well, you do know. You almost lost your job too."

Tony actually sounds like he respects me.

"My sister" I say back to him, "is always doing stuff like this. She was always getting into trouble growing up. I love her, but there's a lot of resentment between the two of us."

"I guess families aren't perfect."

He's quiet for a bit but then starts talking again.

"I don't think I can ever look at any of them the same again."

"How do you mean?"

"I know not all of them knew what was going on, but some of them did. How am I supposed to let that go? They should have told me."

"I don't know Tony" I say gently, "They were doing what they thought was best and for whatever the reason they didn't see how flawed their thought process was."

"I don't understand how you can just screw your own son."

This is dangerous water and for once I think I will say nothing. If he's offering conversation, I'll let him offer it but I know that one wrong word and the entire day will be upside down.

"I mean Tim" he says "I don't even think he cared about Donna, I just think he cared about his business."

Well, don't do it, don't do it.

"Maybe you should talk to him."

"He's an ass!"

"So tell him that? Don't let him off the hook. Maybe he should be here and see how much pain you're in, and see the results of your sacrifice."

He says nothing and I'm about done. There is a welt on his back that really could use some treatment too. Usually Dominic takes care of these things but he's not here, and I am so why not. I disappear and reappear with the alcohol. He looks at me, the alcohol and then sighs. I'll take that as a yes. I resume my original seating. Tony goes to crack his fingers and winces.

"They feeling okay" I ask as I lightly press the cotton ball on one of the cuts.

"Huh? Oh yeah, it's fine."

"Gibbs was really hard on you today."

"Yeah well, I shouldn't have said that shit to Dom."

"Tony", I can't believe he's defending him, "He almost broke your fingers."

"Well that's Gibbs for you"

"I don't care, it's not right. You're… "uncomfortable" and he shouldn't have done that."

He had enough abuse in prison he doesn't need it here too.

"Aw Probie, it sounds like you care."

I push the cotton ball on his back in deeper.

"Hey ow!"

I smile despite myself.

"I think he's too hard on you" I confess, "If he ever treated me the same way he treats you I think I would die."

"Now don't you think that's a little melodramatic?"

"No, he shouldn't treat you so violently."

"He's not violent."

"Gibbs should realize what he's doing. You could have died Tony."

"Hey" Tony says, "Hey stop that for a sec, look at me."

He turns around so I can see him.

"I'm okay, I'm not going to break, you don't have to worry okay?"

"He threw you onto the couch" I say plainly. "He's mean to you a lot."

"Ah we just speak a different language."

I don't say anything to that.

"Gibbs has a sweet spot for me."

I give him a look.

"What, you don't believe me? It's true!"

"Tony-"

"Trust me, me and him just are on a different level, that's all."

"Tony, don't you think sometimes you idolize him a bit too much? I don't think you see how…callous he is sometimes. He shouldn't have done what he did this morning."

Nor should he have thrown you onto the floor, held your arms and force fed you a pill. That's imagery that will not leave me for a long time.

"Tim" he says looking at me, and it's odd that he's speaking to me so candidly like this without the joking and what not, "He's just rough around the edges, but he really does care."

"Yeah I guess so Tony, I'm just tired, and when he was hurting you like that, I don't know, I hated him for a second."

I look up and Tony is looking at me real sweetly, and it's creeping me out. He taps my face and turns around.

"You're too good to me McNightingale."

I roll my eyes and continue to address his wounds.

"Hey Tony" I say, "I'm going to rewrap your ribs okay?"

He grabs my hand and swallows.

"Tim" he says shakily, "They're really…tender, so just be careful okay?"

Translation: they hurt like hell when provoked.

"I'll be careful" I say back, "Let me know if it bites."

I put the bandages back on and try to ignore him wincing. This is just a weird day. Ten minutes later we are good to go and Maury is back on with a new contestant. On the next commercial break Tony tells me thanks. I never enjoyed hearing that word so much. It's around twelve and I figure its time I start making lunch.

"Hey Tony", I tell him, "I'm going to start making lunch, have any preferences?"

"But there's another one" he tells me, "You'll miss it."

He wants me? I always knew deep down that he liked me, but him wanting to hang out with me is new.

"Um well we have to make sure that you stay on schedule with the medication, you know?"

He glares at me. Wrong thing to say.

"I don't need them for today."

And here we go.

"Well we still need to eat."

"I can make lunch."

Is he serious? He can't stand. I'm not that bad of a chef.

"Just tell me what to do, I'll do a good job promise."

He's eyeing me again.

"McGee, I'm Italian, I take food a bit more serious than you do."

"Yeah why is that?"

He's looking at me again. Well foot meet mouth, I believe you are both well acquainted.

"Well" he says, "Culturally it's the setting for communication. It brings people together, it's love you know?"

No I don't. But I nod anyway.

"I'm making it," he says, "Give me that phone."

This is making lunch? I obey nonetheless.

"Hey Mon" I hear him say pathetically, and is that sniffle? "You got a minute?" Talking. "Yeah I guess." More talking. "Well not really, the truth is I'm on the floor."

What?

"I can't get up Mon. Yeah everyone had to leave for an emergency." Now I hear screaming on the phone. "If you get a chance, could you come help me?" More screaming. "I was trying to make lunch, I have to take this medication so my ribs don't act up and I fell-" More screaming. "Thanks Mon, you're the best."

He clicks the phone off.

"What was that", I ask.

"Oh Probie", he says smugly, "You have so much to learn. That was me getting lunch."

"I think I missed something."

"I just told an Italian woman, mia cugina Timmy, that I was on the floor abandoned while I was trying to make food for myself. She'll rush over hysterically to help me, and then once she's here she'll make food. Problem solved."

"And when she sees you're not on the floor, and I'm here?"

"Would you just go with the flow? I just need to get her over here with the thought in her mind to make food, she'll get over it."

"Tony, doesn't she have work right now?"

He's giving me one of those looks that makes me feel like an idiot.

"Would I have called if she had work?"

"She doesn't have work?"

"Monica has her own business. She makes her own hours."

So she has work.

"Oh yeah? What does she do?"

"She's an accountant."

"Wow, a lot of people in your family are really successful."

"Yeah that's one word for it" he responds bitterly.

Right, get off the family topic.

"Is she going to be mad when she comes over here?"

"Yeah probably."

Wonderful.

"You know Tony" I say, "I really could make lunch for the two of us, we don't need her."

"McGee" he says sharply, "One I need you here with me watching this, and two you can't cook like she can. She'll whip us up something awesome. That's the least someone in that family can do for me."

And he's getting angry again, get off of the family topic already.

"I'm in New York so I'm going to eat like it."

Okay. The show resumes but I can't enjoy it knowing that a crazy woman is going to be rushing through shortly. And then there is a knock on the door, and a dark haired woman in a navy blue skirt suit comes running in. She looks a lot like Simona but she's much curvier. She's actually gorgeous. This woman is Dominic's sister?

"Tony? Tony? I'm here, I'm- hey what the hell is this?"

"It's a miracle" Tony says watching the TV not even looking at her.

"Anthony, are you fucking kidding me with this?"

"I got up, I thought you'd be happy."

"You couldn't call me and let me know that before I rushed over here? I almost killed someone."

"Well I still need lunch."

There is silence…and then screaming.

"What?! You called me over here for lunch? Fucking male chauvinistic pig. The hell I look like to you? Are you fucking kidding me? You see the flag in this country? It's red white and blue, not green! I'm a professional you son of a bitch! I fucking went to college! And what the hell is this?!"

Oh no she's looking at me.

"The hell's wrong with your legs?"

I don't know what to do. I actually can't move. I'm going to die.

"I came from work! I was working damn it Tony! You can't just call me out for something like this!"

"It's a compliment! You don't see me calling Simona!"

"I hate you", she screams but she's moving towards the kitchen. The screaming has progressed into Italian and there is a lot of clattering and moving around of pots. I don't know what the word "fanculo" means, but I have a pretty good idea. Tony is ignoring it so I follow his lead. After thirty minutes of terror she leaves and in her place has to be the most beautiful sandwich I have ever seen in my life, and she made one for me too! She even put chips around and got us sodas. She tells us both to "choke on it" and then slams the door. I take one bite, and the heart attack that I almost had was actually worth it.

"Good right" Tony says to me.

"This is orgasmic" I respond back.

Tony laughs, like really laughs and takes another bite.

"She scared the hell out of me" I admit.

"Ah she's a sweetheart" Tony responds.

"Different worlds Tony, different worlds."

And now that I have survived Hurricane Monica, and I am feeling brave enough to broach Tony with the medication issue. I silently get up and grab us napkins and his pills. I give him the napkin and then the pills without saying a word. He's looking at me like can't tell if it's worth fighting over.

"Please Tony" I say.

"You don't understand" he says to me quietly, "I can't think with them, everything is hazy."

"Only for a little bit though and then it clears right? I mean you've been fine this morning."

After Gibbs almost broke your fingers off.

"Not the ones at night, they put me to sleep."

"Tony" I say and move closer to his side of the couch, "You'll be in pain. Just take them."

He looks at them and then me.

"Okay", I say, "What if we go to the beach? You take the pills and we go to the beach. I've never been to the beaches here and I can park the car close enough to get a good view, I'll buy us hot chocolate and turn on the radio. It'll be fun."

He looks like he's contemplating it. I know that Gibbs mentioned that Tony was to stay in the house but it's not like he was direct with it, and well I actually feel bad for Tony.

He looks at me and then smiles.

"Alright McBribery, you have a deal."

Ladies and Gentlemen I just got Anthony DiNozzo to take his medication sans fit which has proved to be impossible until this point. If you will recall the last three times Gibbs had to actually force feed them into Tony's mouth. I was able to do something that Gibbs and Dominic were unable to do. Excellent.

(Gibbs)

The atmosphere in the police station I found to be quite solemn, no one likes to be proved wrong so greatly. It's around eight when I finally return back to Dominic's. Apparently the paper work and tap dancing took a lot longer than I had expected, and unfortunately I have to return tomorrow. And it's not that I don't trust McGee or Dominic, but I just know how difficult Tony can be and I don't want him to give them such a hard time that they let him out of anything. As it was today I called obsessively to keep checking in and making sure there weren't any incidences. I know there was at least after talking to Dominic around dinner time with Tony taking his meds but it was handled so there is no point in rehashing it now.

It's a very small humble house but it suits me fine. Dominic as I have learned is a mechanic and owns his own business, which is ideal because since he is his own boss he can take off without any problem. Dominic has been excellent through out all of this and has tried his best to make both myself and McGee to feel as welcome as possible.

I find McGee and Tony quietly playing cards and talking in the living room. I'll leave them for a few more minutes alone. McGee has also been excellent with Tony throughout this entire thing. I make tea for the three of us and finally decide to join them.

"Oh hey Gibbs", McGee greets me.

Tony waves over at me. He's tired and by nine he'll be asleep. Dominic said that he gave Tony his night dose leaving me with a barely awake DiNozzo.

"I got drinks" I say placing them down.

Tony's face breaks into a smile as he gets his treat, and he struggles to get up. His movements are retarded so I wait patiently for him to right himself. With DiNozzo there is a fine line that I think only I have mastered as to when to help him, and when to let him do it himself. He goes to hold the cup but his grip is too loose, so I keep my fingers on it; he puts his over mine to give him some semblance of control. I help him hold the cup, bring it to his mouth, and then let him sip. I've already waited two minutes before bringing it to him so it would have cooled. I go to put the mug down but his hand resists mine and I help him again drink.

"So where's Dominic", I ask as Tony sips. I put like seven sugars in it as a treat to make up for my feeling guilty about leaving him with McGee and Dominic, because as much as I trust them, I know damn well that Tony will only tell me the most personal problems if there are any. And truth to be told I do feel a bit guilty about the way we left things this morning. DiNozzo stops sipping and moves his head away so I put the cup down.

"He went to go buy us some smokes", McGee says like an Italian gangster.

That earns a smile from DiNozzo so I don't hit him for being an idiot. I scratch the back of Tony's head and whisper so only he can hear, "You okay?" A lazy nod. "You scared me this morning, let's not do that again okay?" He smiles at me which is as good as I'm going to get. I lean back to rejoin McGee in conversation.

"How was work today boss", McGee asks.

"Just fine tuning the details", I say, "Nothing exciting."

Well that's not completely true. I punched Officer Carter in the face so hard he passed out and then needed stitches. I also had a hissy fit of my own that would have rivaled DiNozzo's. Following that I proceeded to threaten every son of a bitch that touched this case. Anthony Di fucking Nozzo will be getting a formal handwritten apology from a few staff members. It won't fix anything, but it's something, and it's my piece of meat to give to him.

Also, I spoke to Abby who has hacked into the accounts of officers within the FBI and NYPD that I have found particularly deserving. I told her to have fun and make them regret their actions. She told me her and Ziva would find something especially wonderful. And when I talked them two hours later they did. Each officer will now be receiving fifty emails everyday that are not "spamable" (whatever the hell that means) from a gay online pornographic website. These emails will come in the disguise of other emails currently in their inbox so they will be unable to decipher which email is the real one and which one has an incredibly lewd picture. Excellent. Don't fuck with my agents.

"Tony", McGee says gently, "Your turn."

DiNozzo refocuses his attention back on his cards.

"What are you playing", I ask.

"Rummy", McGee supplies. DiNozzo's cards are on a stool next to him because he can't hold them, hell him even picking the ones he want is a challenge. The drugs impair his coordination. Next to the cards is some untouched food.

"You done with that Tony", I ask.

He glares at me as a response and makes a move with the cards.

"No", McGee says, "He promised he would finish that for me."

Tony rolls his eyes. That's something else we learned about Tim and his sister, she apparently battled eating disorders her entire life, and so Tim apparently is very sensitive and aware of exactly how much DiNozzo is consuming everyday. It makes it easier for me because DiNozzo doesn't give McGee as hard of a time.

"Speaking of which" McGee starts, Tony groans, "Just a few more bites okay?"

Tony continues to glare but does grab a broccoli with his hand. Tony's hand eye coordination is off because of the drugs, and manipulating utensils at this point in the night is out of the question. He gets the heaviest doses right before bed so he can sleep through the night leaving us with this groggy creature. Tim picks up the napkin and ever so carefully takes Tony's hand and wipes it clean. Tony immediately yanks it away uncomfortable with such intimacy but doesn't say anything. Tim on the other hand seems fine with Tony's reaction and continues like nothing is going on.

"So who is winning", I ask.

"Too close to tell", McGee responds. DiNozzo's grunt begs to differ.

"You want me to deal you in next boss", McGee asks me.

"I think we're loosing our audience here McGee" I tell him, I tap Tony's chin to get his attention; that's another side effect, he becomes spacey and disoriented, "How you feeling?"

He nods at me. I'll take that as an okay.

"You want to go to bed", I ask him.

He bites his lip and goes back to his cards. I tap his chin to look again and this time I gently hold it.

"Hey", I say again, "Bed?"

He shakes his head no.

"Okay", I say releasing him, "Yeah I'll play the next round."

We play another two rounds before Dominic returns home for the evening. He nods his hello and disappears into the kitchen. He reappears, pulls up a seat and joins us. He ruffles Tony's hair and throws his arm over him.

"Hey", he says to Tony, "Guess what I got?"

Tony lazily smiles at him and rests his head on his cousin's shoulder. I guess they made up.

"Hey, hey", Dominic protests, "Come on, I want you awake, okay?"

Dominic swats at Tony's face which garners more moaning.

"Come on Tone", he says, "Look what we got here."

He pulls out a bunch of cigars.

"You want to know what this cost me", he says, "A lot. I had to beg man from Nicky."

Tony swallows and shuts his eyes still resting on his cousin.

"Alright guys", I say, "I think that's enough for tonight."

"No he's awake", Dominic protests shaking Tony again, "Dude, come on, just a little bit more. I even got that movie you were talking about. Some Like it Hot, here look!"

He shoves the video into his cousin's face, and shakes him one more time.

"Maybe tomorrow," I say, "He's sleeping."

"I'll give him sleeping", Dominic responds shaking him once more, "Come on, up!"

"Dominic", I say shortly, I swear I can't even imagine how bad they must have been when they were kids, "He's sleeping, on you might I add."

Dominic gives me a look but finally gives and goes to pick him, but I stop him.

"I got him", I say, "You guys had him all day." I lean down to Tony, "Tony, hey, up."

He keeps his eyes shut but groans.

"Come on," I tell him, "I'm bringing you up to bed, you can sleep there. I need you to help me, okay?"

He nods, eyes shut so I take a more proactive stance. I take one dead arm over my shoulder and lift. He's on his feet strongly dependent on me, but at least he's awake. We start shuffling to the stairs. We get to the bed seven minutes later after a pit stop in the bathroom and I lay him down. I sit down on the edge of the bed and make sure he's comfortable.

"Boss", he says weakly.

"Yeah DiNozzo", I respond.

"Thanks."

"Go to bed DiNozzo."

He immediately complies and is fast asleep. I undress and return to the room. I climb into the king sized bed and lay down. It was a unanimous decision that DiNozzo needed someone to spend the nights with him just in case. He didn't exactly love that, and by not exactly I mean he threw a fit, but he let it got after the first night. The first night we really got to talk. He told me how much he hated everything that was going on. He told me how much he hated being on the medicine and how he just wanted so desperately wanted to go for a run, and just to go home and have everything go back to normal. All I had to do was listen and reassure him that it would pass.

I pull the covers up and try to sleep. DiNozzo is out courtesy of the drugs, which is very unsettling to me. Having to have shared a bed with him before in hotels he would never fall asleep first. I can sleep anywhere, but DiNozzo is much more sensitive to his surroundings, and much charier. I remember the week we had to share bed in the hotel he flipped out on me one night because I was reading and he wanted to go to bed. I couldn't understand how the tiny light could possibly bother the prince until I realized he wasn't comfortable sleeping while I was awake and it had nothing to do with the light. If anyone ever mastered the whole "sleeping with one eye open" thing, it's Tony. Him sleeping like this without incident is unsettling. I have to get up tomorrow and spend hopefully a grand total of two hours in a meeting before I can wash my hands of the stupid formalities regarding concluding the investigation, and then? Let the paperwork begin. With that thrilling thought, I fall to sleep.

NCISNCIS

Something is shaking me awake, and whining. The hell time is it? I glance over to the digital clock which reads three twenty seven. I turn on the light near the bed. DiNozzo is sweating and his face taught in pain.

"Hey", I say, "I'm up, what's wrong?"

"Gibbs", he whines. And if I wasn't up before, I am now. He said my name with pure clarity and control.

He grips harder on my arm.

"Okay okay", I say, "What?"

"It hurts", he says. Oh, his speech is way too fluid.

"Alright, show me where", I say back.

"My stomach", he groans. Tell me you didn't.

"You going to be sick" I ask.

"The room is spinning", he tells me. I'm pretty sure you did.

"Keep your eyes shut then", I say, "You going to be sick?"

"Yeah", he says weakly. I should actually hit you right now regardless.

I get off of my side and go over to his, "Can you make it to the toilet?"

He nods, and I help him up. He is clutching onto me as we shuffle over to the bathroom. It's perfect really the set up of this room, because it is connected to a bathroom so we don't have to go far. Once we are situated onto the floor, he pushes me away. DiNozzo also likes to puke in peace, and normally I'd let him, but this isn't because he was drinking or something of the like, and I want to make sure he's okay. I get out of his space but I'm not leaving the room. He starts puking, and I notice his skin is pale and he's shaking hard. I lean against the doorway to observe. I see more lights in the hallway going off and two figures next to me.

"What's going on," Dominic asks nervously while to trying to peek in past me, "Tony, you alright?"

Tony pukes in response.

"No you jackass," he responds, "I am not alright, does it look like I'm alright? Go back to bed."

"Tony", McGee says, "You don't look so good."

Tony glares as a response.

"Hey Beevis, Butthead," I say to our new accompaniments, "Out, I got this."

"What's wrong with him," Dominic asks.

"Are you friggin kidding me here," DiNozzo yells, "I'm sick you retard."

And whose fault is that Tony?

"You need something Tone", Dominic asks kindly back. This relationship I will never understand; they are nasty and sweet in the same damn breath.

"For you to go to bed!"

"Alright" I say, "You two out, there is nothing to see here."

"Then why are you staying" McGee asks challenging me.

"I'm his roomie" I respond. And I have to kill him, because I know damn well why he's sick.

The two leave grunting.

"You should be nicer" I say to Tony who is currently panting over the toilet.

"Boss", he groans, "Not now."

"They're just worried" I say back.

"I don't care", he moans, "I just want to be left alone. Do I have any chance of getting rid of you?"

"Nope."

"Well in that case, oh, excuse me."

He goes back to puking.

"You eat something", I ask him.

He shakes his head no.

"Maybe you caught a bug."

"Yeah maybe" he says tiredly.

"Or maybe you didn't take a pill and made those two believe you did. That sound like something that might have happened?"

He looks up from the toilet.

"DiNozzo", I say exasperatedly, "I'm pretty sure we had this conversation about you taking each and every one of your pills."

"It doesn't do anything", he groans back.

"You stupid ass", I yell at him, "You do realize that these drugs are to be taken in combination with each other? You can't just get rid of one because you don't think it has any significance!"

"Yeah well-"

More puking.

"I hope this is worth it."

"Are you enjoying my pain boss? Because I never really believed you were sadistic, I just only said it in my head to make myself feel better, but now I'm starting to think that there's some truth-"

And he goes another round.

"You know what" I ponder, "From now I on I will no longer refer to you as Special Agent DiNozzo, no, now it will Dr. DiNozzo because apparently now you have a medical degree that gives you the complex understanding of pharmaceutical drugs."

"Boss", he groans and then pukes.

"Yes Doctor?'

More puking.

"I'm pretty sure we also had a discussion about tricking people too."

"No", he says panting, "We had a conversation about me tricking you. Not about other people."

I roll my eyes.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to play around with your meds?"

"Stop saying that word", he says, "Meds. It sounds like I'm old and about to die. Old people have meds Boss."

"No, sick and injured people have meds which whether or not you want to admit to yourself or not, you just happen to be!"

He groans and starts shaking harder.

"DiNozzo", I say harshly, "I am not having this conversation again with you do you understand me?"

He doesn't respond.

"If you weren't sick right now you'd be running laps."

"I'm sorry Boss", he says, "I just hate this."

"Suck it up DiNozzo", I tell him back, "I don't care. No one likes to be sick and fogged up by medicine, but that's too damn bad. Do you understand that by all counts you should be dead right now? For once in your life do as you're told."

He looks at me and there is a flicker in his eye that I can't identify.

"I want to go home."

"Well we don't always get what we want. You of all people should be very well acquainted with this."

He winces and then proceeds to vomit some more.

"I want this to end," he says.

"I know kid", I say tiredly, "But look, you got a long road ahead of you and you need to understand that and stop trying to fight it and just will yourself better. It doesn't work like that."

"If I'm going to go back to work when we get back home I need to toughen up then boss."

I'm sorry?

"Who told you that", I ask him.

"Told me what", he asks after finishes another violent round.

"That you would return to work after we left New York."

"I don't know" he says shivering, "I just kind of assumed, wait, you mean I'm not returning?"

"DiNozzo", I shout at him, "You can't walk!"

"Yes I can" he yells back at me, "I'm just a bit slower, that's all."

"You're in agony" I say, "Listen to me and I mean really listen" and he's puking again.

He returns back, "I'm listening."

"The only thing you need to concern yourself with is getting better. You understand me? You almost died DiNozzo. You stopped breathing, you know that?"

He looks at me tiredly. His bangs are in his face and sticking to his sweaty skin. He's flat out miserable, but at least he's listening.

"You hear me DiNozzo?"

"Yeah I heard you."

"What?"

"I heard you."

"What?"

"I heard you sir. Sir, yes sir."

I nod my head.

"You done here?" I fill up a cup of water, and give it to him.

"Yeah, I'm good."

Dumb ass. I lift him up and start to bring him to the bed when he stops. He grabs a blanket and looks at me longingly.

"What now", I ask.

"I can't sleep."

"You haven't even tried yet."

"I want to go downstairs, help me?"

He's desperate if he's actually asking to be helped. That, or he knows that I won't let him go down anyway and he's just skipping a step.

"Let's try sleeping."

"I can't."

"DiNozzo-"

"Boss, please. I can't sleep."

I sigh. Sure, why not?

I nod, and he smiles in response while wrapping the blanket around him more tightly. We slowly make our way to the living room where he grabs the remote. He looks around for something else but I dump him off on the couch.

"What", I ask.

"The movie, Some Like it Hot, I really like it Boss. You see it around here?"

I do, I get it and put it in the DVD player. I sit down with him.

"You're staying?"

"I'm not leaving you alone with the shakes watching a movie at four in the morning."

"Yeah, but you have to get up tomorrow."

"DiNozzo", I say, "Shut up."

"You'll like this one. Promise."

I smile back at him. I'm not planning on stay awake during this. I'll just give him some companionship and if there is a problem he can wake me up.

"This is really cool", he tells me.

"Oh yeah", I ask.

"As a kid", he says, "No one ever watched a movie with me. Hell no one ever really goes with me to the movies now either."

Seriously?

"I always talked through them giving commentary. Let me know if it annoys you, sometimes I can't help myself."

Shit. Well now I can't sleep. I didn't realize that this was a "thing".

"I'll let you know", I tell him and reposition myself so there is more blood flowing and I don't fall asleep.

The movie begins and he's off about the actors and the camera angles. Every so often he stops himself bashfully and apologizes for being so annoying, but truth to be told I enjoy seeing him delighted. It's the first time this week that he finally looks content so to hell with watching it, if it makes him happy to take a more proactive stance on movie watching, then so be it. He falls asleep within thirty minutes of it, but that's alright. I don't mind. Kelly used to do this to me all the time, and aren't those bittersweet memories. With that, I join DiNozzo in the land of sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Thank you so much for the detailed reviews I love hearing what you all think, your interpretations and your experiences. For this chapter I decided to use Catholic language, based on my short experience, that faith seems to be quite integral to the Italian culture, and to deny that seems foolhardy. However, because not everyone is familiar with Catholic customs I will quickly attempt to explain the ritual that is referenced in the story. For those who are unfamiliar, Catholics have what they call Confession or Reconciliation, and in this sacrament they confess their sins to God through a priest. As long as they are sorry for their sins, they are forgiven after confessing, and performing a "penance". A penance is determined by the priest after it is completed the person is completely forgiven.

AN2: Another quick change to the format of this chapter is that I will have the Italian posted next to the text. I felt in the past that I wanted the audience to feel the same as Gibbs, and since he doesn't understand the language, neither should the audience, but the layout of this chapter is a bit different, so I'm making the exception. Most of the Italian however will be listed above as usual.

Warning: Language and sensitive material.

All of the Italian was graciously provided by thunderincrimson, thank you again!!

Survival Italian:

La famiglia: The family

Cosa: What

Non mi credi: You don't believe me

Guardami: Look at me

Dillo: Say it

Bene: Good, fine, okay

Per favore: Please

Basta: Enough

Pietro: Peter

Non è stata colpa mia!: It wasn't my fault!

Tu non sei mio figlio!: You are not my son!

Vaffanculo: Go fuck yourself.

Fanculo: Fuck

Vai a cagare: Piss off (lit: go to shit)

Andate tutti a 'fanculo!: You all can go fuck yourselves.

And with that exciting vocabulary I hope this chapter delivers to expectations.

(Gibbs)

I received a call from McGee saying that things were getting out of hand; apparently certain relatives were fed up with DiNozzo not answering calls and instead came to Dominic's house and refused to leave. I excused myself from the meeting and rushed home after confirmation from McGee that whatever was happening was going to end in a blood bath. McGee reported that the conversation quickly turned to Italian, and he had no idea what was happening other than the fact that people were not happy and DiNozzo wasn't giving into whatever the family wanted. I pull up to the driveway and can hear the screaming from the house. I rush in and find over fifteen different family members including Elena and Peter. The room itself is partitioned into two groups, each group holding off a different member: one holding Peter DiNozzo and the other backing Tony. DiNozzo, my DiNozzo, is standing, which is stupid on his part to strain his body, or at least he's trying to and is leaning on the back of the couch. He's furious. His face is beet red, and his knuckles white from gripping the couch. Dominic is hovering close by but has enough distance between them to give Tony some room. Peter DiNozzo is screaming and seems to be as livid as his son.

Peter also seems to have the floor for now. "I had no choice, I can't expect you to possibly understand position I was in."

For the first time when I look into DiNozzo's eyes I see his father. They are hard and calculating and I can't place my senior agent. This is new territory for me. I quietly move to the side of the room and let it play out.

"I" Tony says angrily, "am not a card to be played."

"So what did you propose that I do" his father bites, "Did you want your aunt to die? Did you want that? Or perhaps my business to collapse and the livelihoods of my employees to go down the drain. It's fitting seeing as how you are always thinking about yourself."

"I only think about myself" Tony says eerily calm, "Just about myself huh?"

"Hey" Dominic says, "Let's all stop for now, ma I told you this was a bad idea."

"We all need to get this out in the open" Louisa responds.

"He can't even stand" Dominic cries, "Uncle Peter, leave him alone, he's not well. This is not the time for this."

"It's true" Peter says ignoring Dominic all together, "You have always been a selfish boy."

Tony looks down and then right back into his father's eyes.

"Fine" he says lowly and in one quick moment, his shirt has been torn off and thrown across the room. Well there's the proof to the saying that a picture's worth a thousand words. There are gasps within the room, and murmurs, but the only reaction I watch is Peter's and despite his hardened jaded features and his training to not react in a negotiation, he can't help but widen his eyes and take a step back. Good. See what you did to your own flesh and blood. See what your son sacrificed. For crying out loud at least acknowledge it.

"I almofst died" Tony says quietly, "I was stuck in that cell for two hours. They tortured me dad. Of course I should be thankful they had planned a nice slow death because it gave my team enough time to clear me. I protected this family, and dad, when I did it, only I took the fall."

His father has no words, hell no one has any words. An older hardened woman steps forward. She isn't attractive and I immediately recognize her nose like that beak boy Frankie from the funeral. This must be Donna Brunelli.

"Anthony" she says quietly breaking the silence in the room, "I am so sorry."

"No you're not" Tony says back flippantly, "And neither is he."

"Alright that's enough" Elena says stepping forward, "Why don't we all just take a break."

"Why don't you all just get the hell out" Tony repeats back.

"That's enough Anthony" Raymond says.

"Hey" Tony says defensively, "No one made you come over here. I mean not only weren't you invited, you're also unwanted."

"Tony" Raymond says tiredly, "Let's just all sit down and calm down. Everyone's temper is high so why don't we all take a breather and come back."

"Uncle Ray" Tony says, "You're not hearing me. I am not doing this with you people."

Angelo, who is crying, approaches Tony by the couch. He seems to be trying to coax Tony to sit down or to do something, but Tony is having none of it.

"Smettila di piangere! Cos'è, ora che sei vecchio e solo sei dispiaciuto? Troppo tardi!" (Stop your crying! What, now that you are old and alone, now you're sorry? Too late!)

"Anthony" Louisa screams, "That is my father, that is your grandfather, you don't talk like that to him, do you understand me?"

"He's just as guilty" Tony says, "He knew! Where was he? Yeah the tears are a nice effect but when it's all said and done he made the same damn decision like the rest of you. He was in on it."

"Anthony" Peter screams, "you selfish stupid prick. I know you like to fancy yourself thinking that you are some hotshot, but I got news for you, you're just another Yankee from the Island. You think you're something special, but reality check Anthony, you're not. You're just like us so get off your damn high horse and wake the hell up. You think the life you made for yourself holds substance? Our replacements in your life, I saw them, you think they respect you? You think you mean something to them? Your coworkers, they couldn't touch the food, our food, your food, and they couldn't understand our conversations, and they couldn't keep up. We were nothing more than a bunch of garlic eaters, that's how they saw us, and that's how they see you. They looked at us with disgust like we were something right out of a movie. I heard one of them even remark they couldn't believe that you set foot in a church, because they didn't know you were Catholic. You hide your identity, your culture, your religion, your speech, hell, your language, and you keep it all buried in the back of your mind, but you can't escape who you are. This is who you are, and you have an obligation to la famiglia, regardless of the fact you want to pretend you don't. Your aunt is a woman Tony, and Italians protect their women. The idea that we wouldn't act accordingly and sacrifice you a male, a healthy young man, so she wouldn't suffer the torments of those animals is unthinkable, and I am once again deeply ashamed."

I feel my blood boiling and continue to remind myself that I have no place here and I need to let DiNozzo handle this as he sees fit. Tony registers it and looks down once again. He breathes in deeply and lets it go and when he comes up I see a new flicker in his eye. He's not fighting this fight, and something has changed.

"Yeah okay dad" he says without emotion, almost even empathetically, "But that's not why you did it. If you had come to me and asked me, I would have done it."

Over my dead body you would have.

His father scoffs and Tony's eyebrow shoots up.

"Cosa" Tony asks, "Non mi credi?" Tony sweeps his arms wide open, "Well then take another look! Come on dad, look at me! Guardami! Maybe I should pull my pants down to complete the show! I would have done anything to help Aunt Donna. But that wasn't the setting of the game now was it? I wasn't supposed to be consulted, I wasn't supposed to be asked, I was supposed to be punished. You finally found something that would forgive my sins. This was supposed to purge my soul."

The room is silent and I don't think anyone knows the footing of this particular dance.

"What are you talking about" Peter asks.

"Come on dad" Tony goads him on, "You enjoyed doing this. I know you did. This whole scenario was just the perfect excuse to satiate your inner need for me to pay."

I, and the participants in the room are unaware of what is happening but Peter DiNozzo sure as hell knows what his son is talking about; his body is taut and his face tauter. The two look like two animals ready to kill one another.

"You know what though dad" Tony says real quietly, and then to a whisper, "I'm not giving you my confession."

The elder DiNozzo's eyes harden and smolder. Well that struck a chord. I look over at McGee who is pleading with me to do something. I shake my head. We have no right to intervene.

"You son of a bitch" Peter grits out.

"Say it" Tony screams, "Just come out and once and for all and say it!"

Peter DiNozzo is standing still but his eyes are raging just like Tony's. He's snarling and is ready to snap at any minute. I stay silent. If it escalates I'll step in, but as of now I have no business taking any active part in this family feud. This is between Tony and his father.

"Come on Dad" Tony spits out disgustedly, "Why don't you just say what you and I already know. Come on, why don't you let everyone in the family really know why you can't stand the sight of me. Come on padre! Let's stop the bullshit and lies and just be honest with one another. Say it! Dillo! You want this to be about la famiglia? Bene! Tell them why it was so fucking easy for you to offer me up. I deserved it right? For what I did to her? This was my fucking penance!"

"Antonio" I hear Angelo begging, "Per favore! Pietro, basta!"

"Come on Dad" Tony says relentlessly, "Just fucking say it, you fucking ass!"

"Hey" Louisa steps in, "That is your father, you show him his respect!"

Tony ignores her and keeps his eyes locked with his father's.

"Say it! I deserved this! I am guilty! I have sinned! Right dad? I don't deserve happiness now, I didn't deserve it then, and I never deserved her!"

"Don't you talk about her" Peter finally screams breaking his silence. His brother in law Raymond steps in closer as to prevent a shaking Peter from lunging at his son. Peter doesn't notice and keeps screaming, "Don't you talk about her!"

"I have every right to talk about her! She wasn't yours!"

My eyes dart over to McGee who is standing nervously in the corner, and then to Dominic who looks tired but equally as frightened and uneased by the situation. Half of the family in the room is looking down and trying to avoid the scene, while the other half is trying to calm down the two feuding DiNozzo's. I will not say anything, but I will not let Peter touch his son.

"Come on dad" Tony sneers, "How much longer do I have to pay for her death?"

"It was your fault!" Peter screams at the top of his lungs.

"It was a car accident!" Tony screams back matching his father.

"You put her in that car! You did it! You took her away from me, just like you always did!"

"I was a child."

"You didn't love her" Peter screams back, "You don't even remember her!"

"I was nine" Tony shrieks, "I was fucking nine years old! Of course I don't remember her!"

"She was your mother!"

"She's dead! She's been dead! Get over it!"

"You" Peter stutters, "You son of a bitch!"

"Son of a bitch?" Tony screams, "Son of a bitch? You do realize that's mom right?"

Peter DiNozzo starts screaming in Italian and looks like he's about to have a heart attack.

"You fucking smart ass" he screams finally coming back to English, "If she could hear the way you talk! All she ever did was love you! She died trying to make you happy!"

"She humiliated me" Tony says trying to control his voice, "She mortified me with those clothes! She didn't give a damn, it was all about how she could show me off!"

Which would explain why clothing is so damn important to him today.

"Tony" Dominic says stopping him, "Hey-"

"No" Tony shoots right back, "I am not going to feel guilty or selfish that I didn't want to wear that outfit that evening. Just because she's dead doesn't make her a saint! I don't have good memories of my mother, and I'm not going to honor and mourn someone who I can't even remember! And I'm sure as hell not going to keep paying for some perceived transgression! I didn't do anything!"

Peter DiNozzo face could not possibly be any redder.

"You ungrateful brat! She's dead and you don't even care! You worthless spoiled piece of shit! You were the only thing she had to live for, she loved you more than life itself and that is what you say? You couldn't just wear what she wanted you to wear! You couldn't just do as you were told! No, not my Anthony, my Anthony couldn't wear what his mother had picked out for him. It didn't matter that she had spent all week on the clothing and that she had agonized over every detail of your outfit, one simple dismissal from you and her whole world turned upside down. You made her get into that car to find a new outfit for that party and then she died! It was your fault! If you had just done what you were told she would still be alive today, you selfish prick!"

"I'm not sorry" Tony screams, "And I will not keep paying for something I didn't do! I didn't make that car crash."

"Do you know what she said" Peter spits, "on her deathbed? The last thing she said before she died? Do you know what it was?"

"You know I don't."

"It was about you" Peter says with putrid hatred, "It was to take care of Antonio, and to make sure that he knew that mommy loved him very much! That was it! Nothing about me, nothing about how I was supposed to go on, just about her precious baby boy."

Tony is silent for three seconds until clarity dawns on his features.

"Are you jealous of me" he asks dangerously, "You're jealous that my mother had the audacity to love me? Is that it? That's why you hate me? All these years I just thought you blamed me for her death, but you're actually jealous!"

"She picked you over me" Peter screams, "You! It was always about you! And all I ever did was love my wife, all my life, we were high school sweethearts, we went through everything together. We took each other off the brink of suicide, you don't understand, you don't know! You have no idea what she meant to me, and you, you just got over it! I mourned her death for years, and you couldn't be bothered." Peter DiNozzo stops screaming and starts sobbing.

"Peter" Luisa screams, "That's enough!"

Yeah Peter that's enough. You're killing your son, you ass. Said son is silent but his eyes are exploding with passion.

"She was all I had" Peter screams through his tears, "And you just took her away! She loved you more and I was suffering and mourning her death and you just got over it! I remember it like it was yesterday. When you were twelve, you didn't even remember her birthday!"

"So you cut me off" Tony shrieks, "That's what you do? That's the rational thought process?"

"You forgot about her! You deserve this and more" Peter screams back and now he's being physically restrained by Raymond.

"I didn't deserve this" Tony screams, "I never deserved any of it! I get that now, I didn't growing up, but I get it now and I will not let you taint my life anymore. I didn't forget about her, I grew up. I wasn't going to spend my entire childhood, and subsequent years mourning a woman I didn't know. I'm sorry dad, but I wasn't going to live in the past my whole damn life. You made my life hell back then, but you can't do it anymore. You have control because I give it to you, so let me aver it now once and for all that I am done. I do not feel guilty and it was not my fault, and nothing you can say can possibly change that."

"You want to talk about growing up" Peter yells, "Fine! Let's talk. I worked my ass off all day to give my Rosie's child the best of everything, and you threw it in my face."

"You never did jack shit with me! All you did was pass me off from one aid to the next. So yeah dad, I didn't appreciate it. Any opportunity to get rid of me you took advantage of. There were times I really needed you dad and you left me alone."

"I couldn't even look at you" Peter spits out, "Every time I would look at you all I could see was Rosie. You had her damn eyes, and every time you reminded me of her I remembered that she cared more for you and that you couldn't even bother to remember her birthday. You knew it was your fault, you knew you weren't worth anything to anyone so you left. You are a coward! Every night I would pray that God would somehow fix you or just take you away from me."

"You prayed for me to die dad" Tony asks, "That's wonderful. That's just fucking wonderful. I thought I hit an all time low when you tried to use me as a bargaining trip with the fucking mafia, but no, not you, you always find ways to top yourself!"

This is getting out of hand. I'm going to have to step in damn it all.

"Alright that's enough" some male relative says, "Everyone that is enough. You are all saying things that you don't mean."

Didn't expect Tony to fight back did you? You people finally pushed him one last time and he snapped. This whole elaborate scheme with the Falone family was the straw that broke the camel's back and no one really knows how to entertain DiNozzo's fury. Well good, they should be scared. I'm pretty damn sure that when they all marched into the house they thought they could just bully him into their way thinking and making everything okay. I don't think any of them really realized what exactly happened in that cell and what exactly Elena and Peter had planned. I don't think any of them realize that Tony is not the testosterone ridden eighteen year old that left for college.

"What don't I mean?" Tony cries, "I mean everything I fucking said, and I was fucking right. Let's recap, my father, mio padre, not only blames me for my mother's death, and is not only jealous that my mother thought of me last before dying, but yes ladies and gentlemen, he even prayed to God that I would die. That's wonderful. If I fucking kill myself by the end of this, you stay the fuck away from my funeral."

"You are worthless" his father states, "You always have been, and you always will be. Your mother only loved you because she had to. Your mother, she picked me, and got stuck with you!"

"Go to hell" Tony says dangerously, "You go fuck yourself, you hear me?"

"You killed my Rosie! You worthless piece of-"

Tony lunges for his father, but is intercepted by Dominic and Peter tries to jump over Raymond's grip. The two would kill each other if not for the Leone family. However, because they can't reach each other they have resorted to screaming. The Leones are separating the two and trying desperately to get them into separate rooms. I go to aid Dominic. Enough is enough.

"Alright Tony" Dominic says soothingly, "Alright buddy. That's enough family for now okay pal? Let's go for a walk."

"Hey DiNozzo" I tell him joining Dominic at his side helping to push Tony in the opposite direction, "I think that's a good idea, you and your cousin go for a walk."

"I hated you" Peter is screaming, "You gave up on your mother!"

"Okay Tony" Dominic says as we move Tony away "He don't mean it, you don't mind him, he's just old and mad. You know he don't mean it. Try and keep your head okay?"

"I used to sob at night" Tony screams ignoring both of us, "Every fucking night for a fucking year! And you heard me! I know you did, and you never came in to comfort me! I had just lost my mother! Where the hell were you? Why couldn't we share our grief?"

"Yeah I heard you. You wanted your mother! I couldn't give you a mother! What the hell did you want from me?"

"A father" Tony shrieks.

The yelling has gotten louder as the crowd has physically distanced the two of them.

"Well I wanted a son" Peter screams back, "You are not my son! You are not my Rosie's child! You disgrace! Tu non sei mio figlio! Tu non sei mio figlio! You hear me Anthony, Tu non sei mio figlio! You killed her, you killed the only good thing in my life!"

"I didn't do anything! I'm not sorry! I'm not fucking sorry! It's not my fucking fault! Non è la mia colpa! Non è la mia colpa! And better yet, I hate her! I hate that she made you this person, and I hate that she left me with you! I hate that she humiliated me, and I hate that she made old and bitter when I was nine!"

"È tua madre!" (She's is your mother!)

"È morta!" (She is dead!)

"Oh, fanculo! You want to know why it was so easy for me to come to that decision Anthony? Because you have sinned and you owed this family! You owed me! You owed my Rosie! You have done me wrong!"

"Vaffanculo" Tony screams, "Non è stata colpa mia! Non è stata colpa mia!"

"Vorrei che non fossi mai nato!" (I wish you were never born!)

Angelo is crying and screaming in Italian but once again Tony is not responding to it.

"Non m'interessa! Ora piangi ed è fantastico, ma questo non risolve niente, dov'eri allora?" (I dont' care! You cry now and that's wonderful but it resolves nothing, where were you then?)

"Anthony" Louisa screams.

We are as far as the room will allow us, and Tony is backed into a corner. I try to soothe him but he will not be consoled. He absently swats off me and Dominic's ministrations and keeps screaming for all its worth.

"Oh vai a cagare!" he tells her, "Where was he? He chose to ignore it! I was nine years old and without my mom and he never once stopped to tell his son that maybe, just maybe beating his kid wasn't the best idea! He made his bed and now he has to lie in it just like everyone else! Fuck you, and fuck him too! No one ever once helped me out! No one ever once told me to give a damn about myself and that I didn't deserve what I got. Andate tutti a 'fanculo! I'm done! I should have never come back here. Next time the precious morons of the family need some help don't you fucking call me. Don't you ever fucking call me! Elena, you bitch, you just wait, your time will come. What you spit up comes back down. The hell with all of you. I'm done."

And with that he shrugs off Dominic and myself, walks to the patio and slams the door.


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Thank you for the reviews, and tremendous thanks to thunderincrimson who has gone above and beyond for me and graciously fixed all the Italian translations. I am so excited to have this new addition and am so thankful! Life has been stressful lately so to have someone just go out of their way to truly brightened my day. I hope you all enjoy the Italian translations as much as I do, I know the native Italian speakers will and won't have to keep wincing at the dreadful translations that spitted out. Thank you again thunderincrimson!!!

This should be wrapping in two more chapters or so. Thank you to all of you that have stuck by me and the story. This should be the last of the angsty chapters.

After pocketing his next dose of medicine, I go to the patio outside. I open the door and duck as a broken outside lamp comes swirling at my head. Tony doesn't seem to notice my presence and picks something else up and throws it for all its worth. He picks up another chair and just keeps smashing down on the ground, and again, and then again, and I can see his stitches tearing but I won't dare interrupt him. Not yet. Something has to give here. He could barely stand before but now that he is fueled with adrenaline he has a new sense of equilibrium and like hell he's not going to take advantage of it. The chair is finally broken until he has one long lean end of it and goes to smash it against a glass table. I charge him and we both fall onto the ground. The last thing he needs right now is embedded glass in his skin.

I look at him and realize he's livid and this time his anger won't be subsided by a movie. I resign myself to knowing that this has to end in an emergency room trip and there is nothing I can do to stop this. Fine. I might as well be able to control parts of it. He's panting heavily and looking at me questioningly. I pin him and push him into the ground. You need to hit something? Fine. Hit me. He struggles to get up but I keep him in pinned. He grunts and looks right into my eyes. His eyes are dancing and questioning me.

I give a flick of my head. Come on DiNozzo, let's see what you got.

Understanding ignites in his eyes and he proceeds to throw me off. I get up quick to block his next attack which is a series of punches. I duck each of them and grab him from behind and throw him. He grunts but quickly pushes himself off of the ground. He comes at me wildly again, and we continue to spar. His movements are wide and sloppy considering the pain he's in and I don't take advantage of it. Hell, all I do is stop him a bit. I won't hit him or attack back because there's no point to that. I'll just give him some resistance.

He keeps charging me and I continue to block myself until we have finally made it so far back into the yard that the trees obscure the house. It's nice and quiet back here and there is a shed and a rotting basketball court. It's actually wonderful and it gives us the privacy that we need.

He's throwing the same punches and pulling the same maneuvers which only proves how incredibly angry he is. The real DiNozzo's thought process is sharp and quick and it reacts to its environment and opponent. This is just pure rage. I've sparred with him before, nothing quite as intense and angered filled as this, but I do know his body and his limitations and I sure as hell know that those damn stitches are popping. I'm trying to make it easy for him and his body but he's having none of it. His eyes are insane and I can only imagine what he must be thinking.

And all of sudden I'm loosing my footing and he's too damn quick, he's just too damn mad. He somehow gets my back to the brick shed and goes to punch, and he'd get it too but at the last minute he punches the wall next to me and avoids hitting me. Well damn DiNozzo. Remind me to tell you about your father next time we're in a tight spot and I need Hercules. It should also be noted that even as incredibly angry as he is he wouldn't give me the knock out punch. He has character and the fact that his father just so blatantly attacked it makes my stomach boil. And now I'm mad. I'm mad at the whole damn thing and I'm so fucking mad that I let us come up to New York to begin with.

He's holding his hand which is bleeding and walking away. No DiNozzo, fight doesn't end here. I go over to him and push him down onto his knees. Come on, that all you got? He eyes me from the ground but quickly recovers and sets in with a series of jabs.

I throw him one more time and this time he doesn't get up. He pounds the ground and just lays there gripping the soil for all its worth. I quickly go to assess to see if he's okay and if we pulled anything but his abrupt stop does seem to be deliberate. I walk closer to him to get a look but before I know he's sweeping me onto the ground. Good DiNozzo, that I didn't see. Within seconds he's pinning me, and seconds more I him. We continue to go back and forth wrestling for control. This fight is better suited than the sparring because it's less violent in my opinion. DiNozzo usually doesn't opt for any floor fighting because his strength is movement, and I easily trump anyone on the floor, but his spirit is angry and so here we are. I let him get two or three pins before he finally yells at me.

"Enough with this basic shit." he tells me.

Fine. I pin him within three new turns and there is no way in hell he's getting out of this especially in his state. Apparently however that's what he wanted. He works our bodies to try and escape from it but I won't give. He however seems to be pleased with the current development and we scoot across the ground staining our clothes. Or in his case his back and pants. It's fitting I guess. DiNozzo has always loved puzzles. His mind likes to figure out how to escape problems. When he first learned about Tetris I would loose him for hours. On surveillance he would pocket the game in his phone and play it to the point where I wanted to kill him. If McGee hadn't showed him how to silence the game I know I would currently be looking for a new senior field agent.

DiNozzo finds a way to reposition his leg within my twining but I quickly defend against it leaving open my chest for attack. DiNozzo takes advantage of it, and the little shit almost got out of my grip. That was actually a pretty brilliant move. We scuffle a bit more but my grip proves to be too concrete. He bangs his head against the soil.

"Okay" he says dejectedly, "I give."

"No" I tell him back, "You almost had it."

He looks at me funny but shakes his head.

"Nah" he says, "You'd only give it to me."

"You ever know me to just give it to someone?"

He makes a face.

"Any hints?"

"You were on the right track before."

He replays it in his head and tries again, but I'm prepared this time and I easily counter the attack. However, I feel myself being turned as I played right into whatever he wanted, but I quickly reassert dominance and turn us back.

"That was good DiNozzo" I tell him, "If you were stronger you might have gotten that."

He's panting but smiling.

"When I'm better I want a rematch."

I smile down at him.

"I'm going to hold you to that."

I get off him and help him sit up. He winces on his way up and I realize that he must be in pain. I take a seat next to him.

"Can I see the stitching?" I ask him.

He doesn't answer me but is examining his fingers. They're…wet. He's crying.

"Gibbs" he asks scared, "The hell?"

The kid is actually terrified. And hell I am a bit too. I understand it though; this is a release from the stress his body has been under, it's just unnerving to see this on DiNozzo.

"DiNozzo" I tell him, "It's alright."

"The hell is this" he screams at me.

He's looking at his tears like they could strike back at him. I don't imagine me telling him that he's having an emotional breakdown going over to well so I settle for humoring him.

"Tony" I tell him, "It's alright."

"No" he screams hysterically, "This is not alright! I don't do this!"

"Hey" I tell him, "Hey look at me."

He swallows but complies breaking the trance of staring at his fingers.

"Those drugs" I tell him, "They make you emotional and screw with your chemistry. The adrenaline is wearing off and your body is responding to it. That's okay, you just let it run its course. Don't fight it, alright DiNozzo? Just go with it. Your body is upset so let it be. You fight this, and you're going to be hurling."

He nods his head clinging onto my words like a lifeline. No one likes to loose control of their body, but for some reason his crying is what is throwing him over the edge, not loosing control of his thought process, or his movements, but his crying.

"This is so fucked up" he tells me through the tears. "I was supposed to visit for a funeral."

"I know Tony" I tell him.

"I thought that if I came back up we could all be a family again. I wouldn't have to keep celebrating Christmas in front of my television."

And now he's wincing and he's getting angry at himself for letting his insecurities slip.

"Tony" I say quietly, "Don't fight it. It's okay. Nothing you say leaves this backyard."

He's ignoring me and getting the shakes. Of course DiNozzo is such a stubborn ass that he just has to go against the grain, only this time, he's going against himself. Tears are streaming down his face now and he's paling. Damn his father, and damn his aunt for being such a busy body. He can't walk without assistance and is on drugs just to breathe without pain, but hey, all that be damned in the name of settling a family feud. They should have never been allowed through the front door.

"Tony" I say a bit loudly, "Hey, you alright?"

He shakes his head no.

"DiNozzo" I say sternly, "Listen to me, you have to go with the flow here. Your body is trying to tell you that it's exhausted and emotionally spent. It wasn't prepared for an all out dueling session. You just calm down now okay? That's all you have to do."

"Alright hey" I say and scoot over and wrap my arm around him. "It's alright, just calm down okay? Listen to me, it's going to pass. Just let it run its course."

He's letting me stay within his space which is a huge red flag in my book. DiNozzo usually can't handle this kind of intimacy and consolation. He's shaking beneath me and blinking furiously as in an attempt to stop his tears but his body isn't having any of it. With my other hand I rub his arm.

"DiNozzo" I tell him gently, "You're body is in shock. It's gone through a lot in these last few days and it's just overwhelmed that's all this is."

He's shaking and he's not calming, damn it. He's angry, scared and mortified. His cheeks are burning and I can't find the words or actions to appease him.

"Hey" I tell him, "You listening to me? This is okay. This here is okay. Stop fighting yourself, you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

He shakes his head no.

"Words DiNozzo" I tell him gently, "Let's hear it."

His breathing is quickening so I tighten my grip.

"I'm sorry" he whispers.

"Hey" I say rubbing his arm, "You have nothing to apologize for. This is okay."

And all of a sudden there's a shadow from behind and I see McGee making his way over to us. Tony doesn't seem to have spotted him and if I can help it, he won't. DiNozzo won't survive having McGee see him like this. Since he's being unusually tactile and I decide to risk the chance that he'll punch me. I sit on my knees and quickly push Tony's head into my neck and hold him there. He immediately freezes so I strengthen my grip on him.

"It's alright" I whisper to him.

His body relaxes slightly, and I take advantage of the time I have. I snap and McGee's head shoots up staring at us in awe. I forcefully point back to the house. McGee is frozen so I point again. Damn it McGee, go. He blinks violently but quietly turns around before Tony can spot him in the distance.

I rub Tony's back.

"It's going to be alright" I tell him, "Everything is going to be fine."

I get the resistance I was expecting and he breaks out of my embrace. I settle for holding his arms which he lets me. I have ideas as to why DiNozzo is uncomfortable with intimacy and I would love to explore each one but the opportunity has never presented itself. He's not like Abby, and so I can't comfort him the same way I do her. I wish sometimes though he just made it easier.

He takes a deep shaky breath in an attempt to calm himself.

"You alright" I ask him.

"It's not stopping."

"Tony" I say exasperatedly, "Are you hearing me here? You can't stop it. This is your body responding to this hell hole of a visit to New York. You have to ride this out, stop fighting it. Everything is okay."

"I've been through worse than this."

"Yeah but this is personal. It's a different hit."

And your body is supposed to be resting after being through hell which makes everything ten times worse.

"No" he says screaming, "It's not okay! He did this to me! He always does this to me, and I always just bend over and fucking take it like his little bitch."

"DiNozzo calm down" I tell him.

"I can't" he screams, "I can't calm down! I did right by him! I have always done right by him even when I hated him, and Gibbs I had every reason under the sun to hate him. You don't know what he put me through, you have no idea what he put me through growing up. All those damn mind games just to prove he was a better human being than me, that he was smarter, that he was stronger, that he was more capable, that he was-"

He's getting hysterical and he's loosing his breathing tempo.

"DiNozzo" I say sternly, "Calm down."

He pushes me off of him and I scoot over the side. He wants space and I have no right to not give it to him.

"It's not fair" he screams, "It's just not fair. I didn't deserve this Gibbs! He's been punishing me my whole damn life for something I had no control over! For my mother, for my easy upbringing, for the fact that I like movies!"

He's hysterical now.

"Okay so calm down and tell me about it. I'm not going anywhere."

"I love movies boss" he tells me, "And he hated them. He hated anything that didn't serve a purpose. When I was fifteen I had this awesome collection and he just trashed it one night."

His shaking has intensified and with every word his breathing quickens.

"Why would he do that" he begs me, "Why would he touch them? It had nothing to do with him!"

He brings his hands to his head and starts rocking slightly.

"DiNozzo you have to calm down."

One hand drops to his chest. Damn it all the kid is having a panic attack.

"He just went out of his way to attack the one thing that was mine. He knew I loved that thing, and he just smashed all of them. Told me I didn't deserve them and that everything had always been handed to me on a plate. Who does that!?"

"DiNozzo" I bark, "I am not going to say it again, you have to calm down."

And he can't catch his breath, and shit he's hyperventilating. I quickly scan the contents of the shed and find nothing that could help me. Yeah Jethro, like there is just going to be a brown bag waiting for you. Well fuck. I wipe my hands on my jeans real quickly to get rid of whatever dirt has found their way there and sit behind DiNozzo. I spread legs on both side of his and cup his face with my hands. I readjust my hand positioning to make sure I'm covering his mouth and nose. DiNozzo instinctively goes to fight me, but I push back harder and put my mouth to his ear.

"Stop DiNozzo" I tell him, "It's me. You're having a panic attack and I'm going to ride you through it. Just breathe, in and out. Easy now. Take it easy. Just focus on breathing."

His arms stop flailing and he grips my wrist for support.

"Easy" I tell him, "Just breathe. This is the easy part. Just breathe nice and simple now. You got it kid, just keep doing that."

His hand tightens around my wrist. Kelly used to asthma and I remember how scared she used to be when she couldn't breathe. I can't imagine anything more terrifying than not sucking in air fast enough. His body is calming itself and responds accordingly .Finally his breathing resumes and I remove my hands. I move to sit beside him, and the two of us just sit for a while. There is nothing to say and there is no action that can be taken other than what we are doing right now and just decompressing.

All DiNozzo ever wanted in his life was to be in Peter DiNozzo's good graces, and I know that damn well despite all the anger he's displaying that need will still be there come tomorrow. The right thing, by DiNozzo is to reconcile with his father. I'm angry suddenly because I don't want DiNozzo to be anywhere near that man again, but I heard how his father was talking about DiNozzo when he wasn't in his room. Tony should hear that too.

"Let's go for a ride" I tell him.

He nods his consent and the two of us walk to the cars. He starts shivering but he's too angry and too proud to go back into the house. That's fine, I got you DiNozzo. I walk up next to him and in one quick movement my jacket is on him, and he doesn't debate me. I climb into the driver's seat and he the passenger's. I pull the car out and good luck McGee because right now I need to be exactly where I am. We drive in silence until finally we make it to a beach.

"McGee told me it was a pretty view" I offer.

He nods and looks down. He's gritting his teeth and his eyes are a dark deep green.

"I'm sorry" he finally chokes out, "That you had to be here for all of this."

I shrug, "DiNozzo, I got your six, you've had mine your fair share."

He's humiliated beyond belief for what happened, and I don't think that anything I'll say will change that. When its all said and done DiNozzo has only ever really listened to himself. I like to fancy myself into thinking that I can control my people, but the truth of the matter is he has too much spirit to prescribe himself to my way of thinking. Well it's worth a shot anyway.

"DiNozzo" I tell him sharply, "This is ridiculous. There are certain things in life that you can't control regardless of the fact that you like to think that you can. You have nothing to be ashamed for. And you especially having nothing to be ashamed for in front of me. You do remember that I am the same person that you stayed with for six hours on the bathroom floor while I was puking and sobbing on my daughter's birthday after drinking my weight in Jack? You remember that right?"

I hit his head to make sure he's paying attention.

"Hey, you remember?"

He glares at me but nods anyway. He doesn't want to be consoled and he won't hear whatever the hell I have to say anyway.

"It's not just that" he says quietly, "it's all of it. They're embarrassing and it was private and it should have stayed private and I'm sorry. He's just such an ass."

And despite his acrid tone, I can tell he's hurting deeply after that fight. Okay so if he won't listen to reason…

"I got a story for you" I tell him.

"No boss" he pleads, "I can't talk about this."

"That's okay" I reassure him, "You don't have to talk. You just listen. Can you do that?"

And yeah I'm really asking, because if it was me I think I would just want to be left alone until I died of natural causes. His head stays down and he won't meet my eyes but I get a quiet defeated "yeah" so I continue.

"Do you remember the Lee case?"

His head shoots up, clearly this wasn't what he was expecting.

"Yeah of course boss" he says, "That was our first major case. That was before Kate and everyone. People stopped being such a dick to me after that, and you got that medal for exceptional field work."

I nod my affirmation.

"That night" I say, "After we were done celebrating at the office party, I went home and I was going to off myself."

His face contorts.

"What" he asks me, "Why?"

"Because grief changes people" I say.

His eyes harden, "Gibbs" he warns me.

"No DiNozzo" I say gently, "This is about me."

He sighs but doesn't protest it.

"Anyway" I continue, "Here I had just done something amazing, with you might I add, and everything was getting back on track until I realized that that was it. That was the one of the highlights of my career, and I had no one at home to celebrate with. My wife and child were dead, so what the hell was the point. I was done. I couldn't do it anymore. I was safer depressed because it was consistent but one happy successful occasion pushed me into a corner with my gun in my mouth."

He's frozen and he's looking at me like he can't imagine where this is going.

"I didn't kill myself" I tell him flatly.

He nods too shocked to say anything.

"But the point is grief destroys souls" I tell him, "And that people don't always say what they mean, or do what they should."

Tony looks at me funnily.

"Why are you defending him?"

I lean my head against the headrest.

"Because I know you" I sigh. I sit up and look at him. "I know how much you wanted things to work out. Look Tony, I don't know if the two of you will ever be able to be in the same room together again, but you should know that he cares for you."

He looks down. He's quiet and I can see him mulling something over in his head. Finally he looks in me in the eye and damn it all does he look dangerous.

"Do you know what they did to me?"

It takes me two seconds to realize he's not talking about his family but the prisoners. I make a "so-so" sign with my hand. I know what the medical reports said.

"They fucking beat the shit out of me and when they were done with using me as a punching bag they went onto…"

He quiets himself.

"DiNozzo" I say quietly and shake my head no. It's not necessary that he kills himself to try and tell me. He doesn't need to explain how horrific it was, I unlike others, believe him. He catches his breath and continues.

"Anyway" he says, "When it was all said and done they fucking jerked off on me while I lied in their urine. Doesn't that fucking count for fucking anything? The made me-"

He stops himself, but blinks away the memory and resumes.

"They did things to me."

He stops himself again and takes in a deep breath.

"Dehumanizing things, Gibbs."

He glances to see my reaction. I just nod my understanding. He's looking for condemnation and judgment because that's normal when a person has been victimized in such a manner but I won't give it to him. I won't validate those feelings of self-hatred, and hopefully that will register with him somewhere. And on a side note, I will have to devote more time to tracking down his assailants and ways to punish them.

"But hey" he says throwing his hands up in the air, "No, I'm ungrateful and spoiled, and a coward. A fucking coward he called me! Me! Because that was the easy way out, because that was the cowardly thing to do because-"

"You are not a coward" I scream and pound the steering wheel for all its worth. And shit where the hell did that come from? DiNozzo looks as shocked as I am. So apparently that's what that feeling was in my stomach-anger. I knew I didn't feel well but I couldn't place it because I kept obsessing over DiNozzo's side whose stitches might or might not be popping. I breathe in deeply. I need to calm myself down, but I can't. Coward. He called him a coward. Out of all the things Tony has been called since our visit to New York, guido, Sicilian nigger, WOP, traitor, dirty, mafia, criminal, and animal, coward is the one that produces that flame-like intensity within my stomach.

"Your father" is a pompous dick I want to say, but I can't because he's still DiNozzo's father and only Tony is allowed to insult him, so I settle for, "was wrong."

"He was jealous" he says incredulously, "I can't even fathom-"

"Tony" I say cutting him off, "It was never about you. Just trust me on that. It was never about you. The man is not well, and he did you wrong. No one is debating that and you don't have to prove your case to me. I'm not excusing what he did, but I am saying that for your own peace of mind just know that he loves you."

He glares at me.

"And how do you know this" he asks me, "Your gut?"

"Better" I tell him, "He told me."

"Boss" Tony groans and slams his head against the headrest He can't handle the idea that his father gave a damn, or that anyone does so I'll let him have the time he needs and dictate the course of the conversation.

"What did he say" Tony asks finally.

"That every time he looks at you" and Tony cringes, so I take his chin and make sure he's looking at him, "He sees his Rosie."

Tony glares at me and I let him go, "Yeah boss I got that."

"No DiNozzo" I say, "You didn't. Not all of it. Every time he looks at you, he sees his Rosie and his heart aches for her but you too, because he loves you and he knows he did you wrong."

"He just told you this" Tony asks.

"He's dying kid" I say gently.

Tony sighs and sinks his head into his arms.

"I think I knew that" he says quietly. He doesn't seem ready to talk anytime soon, so fine, I'll sit and wait it out with him. He has no idea what to do or where to go, and he's just done. I hate seeing him like this. His fire is gone and he looks tired.

"I know I didn't have a hard life boss, I know that, I had the world at my fingertips, but…"

"DiNozzo" I tell him, "You're allowed to feel. Don't compare your pains to the pains of the world, that's not how it works. You're entitled to your feelings. You've been through hell."

I shouldn't have to validate his feelings but I'm not going to push that.

"It's just that it was hard sometimes." he says, "He was impossible. Nothing pleased him and you never knew what was going to set him off and as I got older I just stopped caring. I wouldn't come home for weeks at a time. He just could never get over her death."

"Some things people don't ever get over."

"He made me hate her" he says quietly, "I hate what he became, and I blamed her for it. I'm so mad at my father's jealously but I never realized my own. I've been jealous of my dead mother for years now. I don't know why I never saw it before, but I have been. She was the only one that he could love. And now what kind of person does that make me? I'm just like him. Hell fuck it all, I am him!"

I smack the back of his head. I'm not dignifying that with words.

He ignores me. Time for a different approach.

"He marveled at your intelligence" I say.

Tony looks at me.

"He said I was smart" he asks.

"He was in awe of it. That and your personality. The way you worked that room Tony was magnificent, even he thought so."

Tony is incredulous.

"He thinks I'm smart? All he ever told me was how stupid I was. I didn't do too great in school Gibbs."

I know. I checked on his records. He was about a B minus student in college, and barely passed high school. I dug further to see how the hell he got accepted to Ohio State with grades like that and learned that his principal and faculty of the school wrote raving reviews. He got an interview and wowed the pants off of whoever made the final decision. Tony is simply charming.

"Grades aren't everything, and they sure as hell aren't a determination of intelligence. You understand complexities. You see things that other people don't and you capitalize on them. That's the reason you work for me, and that's the reason your father was delighted to see you in action at the police station."

"Delighted boss?"

"He was laughing at your antics."

Tony smiles.

"So I'm smart huh?"

"Don't push it."

He shivers and I realize he still doesn't have a shirt on. I'm not going to push it though. He has a jacket and we're in the car so that's fine for now.

"What would you do?"

"What I would do and what you should do are two very different things."

"Gibbs" he says imploring me, "Please."

I sigh, okay fine. "I don't think you should write it off."

"You were there! You can't talk to that! I don't owe him anything, and that is definitely not what you would do!"

"Not for him" I quietly, "For you, for your own damn peace of mind. He means too much to you and whether or not you want to admit it, you want to be in his good graces."

"Would you be disappointed if I didn't?

I take his chin again, "Hey" I tell him firmly, "You don't ever disappoint me."

In a millionth of a second his eyes might have watered but just as quick as it appeared, it's gone.

"This is so fucked up" Tony finally says, "I was supposed to come up here for a fucking funeral, and the next thing I know I'm taking seven different pills a day so I don't collapse from pain."

"It's life" I tell him.

"It sucks" he responds.

I spot some blood trickling down his stomach. I can't even imagine how much pain his ribs must be in. He's not feeling it right now because of the adrenaline and the anger but when he comes down its going to smart something awful. I start the car back up and decide it's time to go the emergency room. I'm sure he knows that's where he's going.

"Hey Gibbs" he asks nervously half way through the ride, "Why did you change your mind?"

"About what" I ask him absently.

"That night" he tells me, "After the Lee case."

I smile to myself.

"You called me" I tell him.

Recognition dawns in his eyes and looks away pleasantly pleased.

The dumb ass was drunk off his ass, which was fitting since he hadn't slept in a week and needed a ride home, and I just couldn't kill myself when my agent needed a ride home. No one liked him and people made fun of him because he was the new kid in town, just like my Kelly was the new kid in school oh so many times. I couldn't leave him alone. He didn't have any friends, just like Kelly, all he had was me, and I just couldn't leave him, and then I snapped out of my funk and didn't have to kill myself for that day anymore. It wasn't that I was magically cured from my depression, I don't think I'll ever be, but there was a light somewhere. Someone needed me and I don't abandon people, I don't abandon DiNozzo. It was that night that he became more to than just another co-worker and not because he inadvertently saved my life but because I could so easily see him being my Kelly. He became my family. I knew then it was unhealthy to use Tony to replace my daughter and wife, but I couldn't stop myself. He just brought it out of me.

I ruffle his hair and we continue on in silence. He won't question me on it because he doesn't want to embarrass me because that's just the kind of guy that DiNozzo is.

"You saved my life" I tell him quietly.

He looks down embarrassed so I leave it at that.

"Hey DiNozzo" I tell him, "I know it doesn't need to be said, but I'm going to say it anyway."

He looks at me and then comprehension dawns on him. We always did speak the same language.

"Gibbs" he says tiredly, "Don't. You don't have to."

"Yeah, yeah I do. Just let it be known that I nor anyone else thinks that you're just some Yankee. You got that? We come from different places, but I never once thought that."

He smiles.

"Gibbs, I know."

"I thought other things, but never that."

The two of us share a smile.

"You know what I first thought when-Gibbs!"

And all of sudden there is a blinding light, my body being jolted, a crash, horns blaring, Tony yelling "oh shit" and that's it folks. I'm leaving the ring for this round.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: So sorry for the long delay, life loves to interfere with my fantasy life. And my apologies for the cliffhanger I didn't intend for that large of a reaction. Sorry!

"Oh good boss" I hear a voice say, "You're awake."

"The hell am I" I choke out. My throat hurts and I can't seem to connect to the rest of my body.

"You're in a hospital" the voice says, my eyes clear and I'm looking into McGee's face.

"How are you feeling?"

"DiNozzo?"

"He's fine" McGee says looking quite relieved, "Your side got hit the worst."

My side?

"What happened?"

"Don't you remember boss?"

No McGee I'm asking you because I have full understanding and clarity as to today's events. I in fact remember everything so perfectly that I could paint it out for you complete with shadowing and advanced coloring techniques.

"McGee" I bark.

"Car accident" he says quickly, "You guys got hit. The other guy's car slipped on the ice, came over to your lane and hit you. Everyone's fine. You got the brunt of it."

"DiNozzo?"

McGee looks at me oddly, "Well like I said-"

"He's fine" I say, "But what happened to him, anything?"

"He got some stitches in his head, but that's it. He never lost consciousness, he's really fine."

"Where is he?"

"Just left ten minutes ago to grab some food so he could take his meds."

Which means he's in enough pain to realize that he needed them today. I get up and relearn how to stand. I ignore McGee's protest and offering of a wheelchair. Is he kidding me here? The hell I'm walking in that, and the kid should know better.

(DiNozzo)

Okay so here is the plan. As soon as my body learns to cooperate I am good to go. I will pick up Gibbs, who hopefully will be back in the land of the living and then that's it. Goodbye New York. Lesson learned. So eat and then go. A pang goes through my chest and you know what, sitting down with this fine cuisine might be excellent. And based on the way I can barely catch my breath I'm thinking that sooner would be better.

So I have my sandwich which I am sure is going to be as tasteless as all hospital food is, and now I have my drink and my tray. All I need is a place to sit. Wonderful. This is like middle school all over again. Why are there so many people in this damn cafeteria anyway? It's not like this is good food.

Ladies and gentlemen, wait a minute, hold your horses there seems to be movement on the east end. A huge construction worker looking man is pounding his chest and hunching over. Is he getting up or keeling over? And…keeling over. But ah ha! As three nurses run over to help they have abandoned their table.

I have no shame.

I grab my new seat and look over to make sure the guy is alright. It's not like I can do anything that they can't anyway. They help the man get the food out of his throat and I'm done watching. I open my sandwich, take a bite, and yes it is as disgusting as imagined.

"Ahem" I look up and see an angry nurse.

"Is there a problem sir" I ask him.

"We were sitting here" he says.

"We" I ask innocently.

The other two are now chatting it up with that man.

He points over to the other nurses. So I have two choices, I could get up and pass out, or I could show Bianca where exactly she got her con skills from.

"Oh sir"' I say, "I'm so sorry" I cough, "I hadn't realized" and then I start coughing myself into a fit. I lean back in my chair and exhale slowly.

"Sir" he asks, "Are you alright?"

I look up at him through the slits in my eye.

"I'm sorry" I say quietly, "I was just in a car accident."

"Were you looked at by a doctor" he asks me.

Move aside Leonardo.

I sniffle, "I just" and I stop and put my hands in my head.

"I'm fine" I muffle out. And let's go fake tears, anytime now. I blink furiously in my hands to push them out and once I have a few I'm set.

I look up at him with tears coming down my face.

"I'm fine" I repeat again, "But my dad..." I stop again and quiver lip like a true grieving son.

And in addition to my fantastic acting, I have these glorious bruises to further sell my case. Momma always did say to play the cards you were dealt.

"Hey" the man says, "I'm sorry, you know what um we were just about done anyway."

Yeah that's what I thought.

I'm not even sorry, hell I don't even care. We are after all in New York. Him and his little nurse friends take their trays away.

Truly, I have no shame.

Suddenly there is another person standing in front of me. Of course there is. I look up and it's my Aunt Louisa. Well hell.

"Anthony" she says, "Can I sit?"

No. Go away. Far away.

"Aunt Louisa" I manage to spit out, "Yeah of course."

She takes the seat across from me.

"Are you alright" she asks.

I glare at her. Yes I'm doing marvelously.

"Aunt Louisa" I say, "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes glare.

"Anthony" she puffs out, "We're family."

"I'm pretty sure we were family when I was hurt in DC too, and yet no call."

She sighs and looks away. I'm not giving any slack here. Let's call it what it is.

"Mistakes have been made" she says tiredly.

Ah the passive tense. Always a favorite of the educated and intelligent.

"Aunt Louisa" I say, "Come on."

She huffs, "Look, you don't understand."

"Aunt Louisa" I say respond taking another bite of this cardboard, "I've tried my whole life to understand him and why things were they way they were, but I've only recently started to not care."

She inhales deeply and tries again.

"When that kid McGee told us you were in an accident, your father locked himself in a bathroom sobbing."

That could be truthful or it could be just another lie. This family is smart and talented and one of those talents, the real good dirty talent that binds us all together is our ability to lie through our teeth. We can look you straight in the eye and lie. It's not exactly that I'm proud of it, but hey, I did make a career out of it. I'm not good at many things, I'll readily admit that, but I'm really good at undercover work because of my ability to lie.

"Look Tony" she says, "Your father, my brother, he's an idiot. He doesn't know how to talk, he never did, but to be fair, we were raised like animals as children. Your mother was all he ever had. You have to understand what that loss did to him. It robbed him of the little social skills he had at the time."

Still don't care. Doesn't excuse jack shit.

"Aunt Louisa" I say, "What do you want from me?"

"To forgive him."

I wonder what color the sky is in my aunt's world.

"Forgive him" I cry, "He's not looking for forgiveness, he's looking for blood! He wanted my apology, or did you miss that part?"

"He's an ass" she cries, "You know that. He didn't know what he was saying."

"No" I say stopping her, "He knew exactly what he was saying. He was saying what he thought all those years."

"Anthony" she says tiredly, "He's not well. He never has been."

"I don't care" I tell her back.

"Alright" she says, "would you just listen, please? Just listen. He doesn't know how to talk to you, but he wants to make things right. You of all people should know that you can't argue with a crazy mind."

"Aunt Louisa" I say, "I'm in pain, I almost died several times this week, this isn't a good time for me to sympathetic to his problems."

She ignores me. Yeah big surprise there. I go to say something but she plows on.

"He never was able to understand emotion, and he could never understand that people didn't think like he did. Your father is so defensive that any perceived slight he just takes to the next level, but deep down all he wants-"

She stops herself.

"He's your father" she says quietly, "Do the right thing."

The right thing? The right fucking thing? Are we being serious right now?

"Do you realize that Special Agent Gibbs is my boss" I ask her, "Do you realize that my father has been calling him Mr. Gibbs for the duration of this lovely trip?"

My aunt looks down.

"Do you have any idea how humiliating that is?"

"Anthony-"

"No" I say appetite flying out the window, "My boss and coworkers didn't need to witness all this! I didn't need this! You want to talk about the right thing? Fine. I came up to New York because it was the right thing to do for Aunt Donna's funeral. I stayed once I realized that there was a problem, and at great cost to myself, and my career I continued to do the right thing. Every birthday, every father's day, I send that jack ass a card. Why do I do that when I know that there's no chance he'll reciprocate? Because it's the right thing to do. So you know what, I'm I don't want to hear about doing the right thing. I have always done the right thing, except now I'm thinking I'm done with the doing the right thing, because it sure as hell hasn't gotten me far. It's someone else's turn to step up."

"He's old Anthony" she says to me, "He can't apologize. A man like that, with all that hubris, he can't do what you are asking of him. He's still your father damn it! No matter how impossible he was growing up, you always had clothes, heat, and food on the table, always. You can't take that away from him."

I can actually feel my blood pressure rising.

"Aunt Louisa" I say with some finality, "He is my father, and I love him. So don't sit here and patronize me with these details. It doesn't change the fact that he did what he always does."

"Anthony-"

"No" I say cutting her off, "He wanted to offer me to the mafia. The mafia Aunt Louisa. Should I spell that out for you? I didn't do this, and I didn't break this family. This isn't on me. So don't you sit there and pretend like it is. You're not doing this to me."

"He's dying" she says her voice breaking, "Despite what he says he wants to know that you love him. He just has too much pride to say it to you. He can't apologize."

"Then tell him to grow a pair" I say and stand up. "Fathers are supposed to take care of their kids."

And that's it. I'm done. I walk away leaving her there, which upon reflection I'll think is dick of me, but I can't do it anymore, especially now. I'm in too much pain, and I have too much shit going on. The sooner I get home the better.

(Gibbs)

I walk out to try and find a nurse to get to tell them I'm leaving, but stop dead in my tracks as I see Peter DiNozzo and Tony coming in from opposite directions of the room, As they spot each other, I point for McGee to go back to the room and get our stuff which he does. DiNozzo doesn't need an audience for this. I creep up closer to a wall and eaves drop in. I'm giving Peter one chance here and if he blows it I'm going in there and telling him to shove it. However, it seems that Peter is out to shock me and Tony.

Peter DiNozzo is crying.

Tony is frozen in his spot, which seems fine because Peter doesn't need any prompting. He walks over to his son and embraces him for all he's worth. Tony swallows back his shock but doesn't return the hug, arms limp at his side.

Peter DiNozzo sniffles and pulls away. He puts his hands on his son's face and then hugs him again. This time Tony is more with the program and reluctantly puts his arms around his father. It's not a tight embrace on Tony's part but if Peter's smart enough he'll know what it took for Tony to do even that and he'll appreciate the gesture.

"I thought God was punishing me" Peter says quietly, and I really have to strain to hear it, "by taking you the same way he took my Rosie."

Tony is blinking and can't seem to handle the brutal honesty. He puts his hands down from his father, but his father will not let go.

"I'm good dad" Tony says back, "Just some stitches."

Dad, not father, not padre, but dad.

"Ah let me see" his father says and steps back to examine Tony's head. I too am curious and lean to see where exactly they are.

Peter gently turns Tony's head to get a better view which is fine for me because it exposes the bruise right at his hairline on the side by his ear. Tony however is not fine with the careful examination and is repeatedly squeezing his fists and a way to expel the nervous energy.

"I'm alright" Tony says gently.

Peter nods to himself apparently satisfied with the work of the doctors.

"Are you in pain?"

I think Tony's eyes are going to fall out of his head.

He shakes his head no.

"Here" Peter says taking a seat from, "Sit, sit. You're hurt."

Tony sinks in the chair looking at his father like he had two heads.

"You sure you're alright now?"

Tony nods, jaw hanging wide open.

"Do you need anything?"

Tony shakes his head no, eyes in disbelief.

"Well alright then" Peter says patting Tony on the shoulder, "You be good now."

And with that Peter DiNozzo leaves. Time seems to stand still for DiNozzo and he just is sitting there without emotion or movement. Well that was unexpected. Finally Tony seems to snap out of his trance and throws his arms up and looks up to the sky and mouths, "the hell?" He shakes his head and collapses into his arms.

I clear my throat and his head shoots up.

"Oh hey Gibbs" he says tiredly, "You're awake. How are you feeling? Boss, you know you really should be in bed."

I shake my head and take a seat next to him.

"You alright" I ask.

"Who me" he asks surprised, "Yeah, didn't McGee tell you? You were the one that got hit, I was fine."

I gently finger the stitching, and try to ignore the crusted blood.

"I'm okay Gibbs" he says.

I raise an eyebrow.

"What was that with your father?"

His eyes light up.

"Did you see that? What the hell was that? I can't believe he's even here! When I was shot in Baltimore I didn't even get a phone call."

Yeah but Rosemarie was never shot. This struck a chord.

"I swear Gibbs" he says, "I think the man just likes to fuck with me. I think that's it. All these years I think is just him getting some genuine satisfaction with screwing with my head. This isn't normal, normal people don't do shit like this."

"You okay" I ask again.

"No" he proclaims, "No I am not okay. You good to go? I got to go, I have to go now."

"How are your ribs?"

"Fine, fine, everything's fine, come on let's get out of here. Our stuff is packed in the car."

"Define 'here' DiNozzo."

He just looks at me. I swear sometimes I think he's insane.

"You want to back to DC tonight?"

"No" he says back, "I want to go back to DC now."

He looks at me sheepishly.

"Unless of course you're not feeling up to it."

I can tell though he expects me to feel up to it. What the hell, I can sleep in the car. He's still in worse shape than I am, and if he can do it, so can I. Also, he's been through worse than a car accident and I still made him work, so really I need to be getting my ass in that car or I will never hear the end of it.

"Alright" I tell him, "Let's blow out of here."

He looks relieved and runs off to find a nurse and hopefully McGee.

Within thirty minutes we are all situated in the emergency room parking lot and ready to go. McGee and I are inside the car waiting for DiNozzo to say his goodbye to Dominic. Dominic expressed some outrage that he was just leaving without say goodbye to anyone else but he got it. I could see that deep down he was as tired as DiNozzo with all the drama and he too just needed everything to end. However, neither he nor DiNozzo are quite ready for leaving each other. They have been saying goodbye for a while now. McGee has been sighing and moving in attempt to get me to say something but I told him to just let Tony have the time he needs. Except now that was twenty minutes ago and the two of them don't seem to be ready to leave one another anytime soon. For cryin' out loud.

I poke my head out the window.

"Hey" I say, "Tony's birthday is in five weeks. Why don't the two of you plan for then?"

Dominic's eyes light up.

"Yeah Tone" he says happily, "That's a great idea! You want to?"

Tony smiles right back, "Yeah yeah man. That's perfect. You can come for my birthday."

Dominic suddenly hugs Tony with all the ferocity in the world. It's interesting because Tony has absolutely no reserve about fully embracing his cousin. A new wave of sadness washes over me realizing that Tony lost this relationship for so many years. Finally they depart both with tears in their eyes and assure each other to keep the date.

And with that we're off.


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Wow, I am so sorry about the delay on this chapter. Thank you for the reviews, you all have been amazing. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to write it out, I so appreciate them. One more chapter and then this should conclude. I have a new story I'm working on and hopefully that will deliver. Happy reading!

"So you punched him?!"

That I actually don't remember. I remember seeing red, but I can't remember actually punching him. It's okay though, because I have this new saying that has helped ground me throughout these last two months, repeat after me, I don't give a fuck.

"Oh come on! What was I supposed to do?"

"There were a million of other things you could have done! Punching him was not one of them!"

Oh that's rich.

"Gibbs-"

"Damn it DiNozzo!"

"What?!"

"You punched him!"

Already established.

"You don't find anything wrong with that?"

I shrug. He was a prick and he was so asking for it. Gibbs however is eyeing me like he's considering committing me.

"No, don't look at me like that! You should have heard the shit was saying to me."

He wanted to talk about my feelings, and my family, and my recuperation, and my feelings, and how my relationship is with my boss, and my feelings, my father, my dead mother, my dead partner from my days in Peoria, and my feelings damn it all he wanted to talk about my feelings.

"DiNozzo! He's a shrink! He's supposed to say that!"

"Oh basta please! He had no right to talk about my family. Work related things only, that's his job."

Ah, the Italian crept into my speech without my permission. Ha, New York is always hard to bury in the back of my head. Oh well.

"This involved your family."

"I don't care" I shoot right back, "The hell does he care? Fuck him, yo fuck this shit."

The head slap is swift and stingy. I guess this is a positive seeing as how Gibbs wouldn't hit me if he thought I was still too fragile or weak. That means they have to let me back to work soon…oh wait, part of coming back to work was passing the psych evaluation…hmm…perhaps I should have thought this one out.

"How are you supposed to be cleared for work now?"

"Huh" I reply, "Well…"

Gibbs sighs.

"DiNozzo I swear" he mutters, "Sometimes…"

He doesn't finish that as Director Vance comes charging into the conference room where we seem to be settled.

"Anthony" he starts, "I had heard that there was an altercation between you and Dr. Morris. How are you feeling?"

Well this is one brilliant change that has occurred since this whole ordeal. I practically can do anything around here without getting any shit for it, well except from Gibbs of course. Everyone is afraid I'll either sue or give bad publicity, and truth to be told I might just have pretended to be talking to a lawyer while the great and mighty director was present just to put the thought in his head.

"I would really like to return to my job sir" I respond back.

"And in a few weeks you will have the opportunity to do so, however I do think that you should try and enjoy the time you have off."

Okay so I'm not so that worshiped around here that I can just get off scot free for punching someone.

"Sir?"

"I have persuaded Dr. Morris to postpone your psychiatric evaluation until a later date when you are more mentally prepared. I understand how demanding your recuperation schedule is at this time and how this was probably the last thing you needed right now."

Or perhaps I am. I can see Gibbs trying not to puke; it's a valiant effort.

"Dr. Morris" Vance continues, "Is under the impression that what happened was a result of stress and is unlikely to repeat itself in the field."

A mental breakdown? Fine. If that's how they are going to explain my anger issues and my punching that nosy son of a bitch in then fine, I had a mental breakdown. If this is an out, I am so taking it. Cause yo, I don't give a fuck.

"Yes sir" I reply, "I do apologize for my actions, everything has been quite overwhelming, trying to sort everything out and what not. I promise it will not happen again."

He seems satisfied with this response and that's the end of that. I look over to Gibbs to see his reaction. He slaps me again and walks out but not before stating that his cooking orders for dinner.

You see the other not so marvelous change was that I apparently cannot be left to my own devices and have been forced to live with Gibbs until Ducky sees fit. That in turn has made me Gibb's personal chef and maid until I can return to work. In retrospect, this is probably all my fault. After spending a week at Gibbs' place I had irritated the hell out of him enough to let him allow me to live in my own place with minimum supervision. This blew up in my face quite literally when I almost burned the whole place down. It wasn't even like I had fallen and couldn't get up while the gas was running…no I was just bored and decided to play with the microwave because I'm an idiot. When Dom and I were kids we used to put Dorito bags into the microwave and after a minute or so the metals in the bag would make it shrink into this really cool metal thingy. I don't know the exact reasoning for this scientific phenomenon but it was awesome, I was bored, and the microwave was challenging me. My little science project didn't turn out so well seeing as how my microwave was old and not well prepared for my Dorito bag. Maybe it was because it was the spicy Dorito bag, always should go with the original, the remakes are never any good. Anyhow there was a tiny explosion that may or may not have knocked me unconscious. Paramedics say I was out for the count, but I just think I blinked slowly and everyone had a field day. Anyhow once Gibbs learned it wasn't a terrorist attack but a creation of my own stupidity I was hauled off to live with him again. There is however light at the end of the tunnel…my birthday is at the end of the week and after two months of physical therapy and being forced to live with Gibbs in Gibbs's house I will be able to move back and return to work, and as a bonus Dom is coming down to help out.

And I so need to move out. Gibbs's inner clock apparently never left military life and he wakes up at, so help me God, no exaggeration, four fucking thirty every weekday. What the fucking hell? Seriously? He apparently just has to go for his morning run and have his paper, whatever. This wouldn't bother me if my sleeping in, to say eight, didn't personally offend him. "DiNozzo, you're still sleeping?" or "Lazy ass, get up" or "If you're not up in ten minutes I'm spraying you with water", and I assure you that was never an empty threat…I learned that the hard way.

My watching television also offends him. Gibbs doesn't do creative deep pondering shows, so fine, I tried for sports but we just so happen to root for different teams which proves to be problematic since Gibbs apparently is incredibly volatile when rooting for a team. It doesn't matter if his team was even playing, mine playing were enough to get him worked up into taunts; he just had to criticize my Yankee's and Jets. There is only so much a man can take.

Okay, so perhaps I'm being an ass. Gibbs has truly gone above and beyond…it's just that I need to be in my own house, to sleep in my own bed, not wake up at four thirty in the morning and to go back to work. And I need it so bad.

So you ask what have I been doing for two months? I would love to tell you that I did something awesomely productive with my time, but alas, I did not, and don't you try and judge me because remember, I don't give a fuck. What I did end up doing was planning my very own surprise birthday party, or at least I tried until I remembered that I hate planning shit; the guest list ended up being me, Dom, and Gibbs and only Gibbs because it's his house. To be perfectly honest, all I really need is a keg but what the hell. My pathetic party of three became intercepted by Abby who is became committed to throwing me a real party and then since then I have been doing nothing.

Well that's not completely true.

Gibbs has this piano. I'm pretty sure that it's off limits because it was either Shannon's or Kelly's because that man does not possess a musical cell in his body, but I couldn't help myself. Pianos like that are meant to be played. When Gibbs leaves for work I play, and damn it's a gorgeous instrument. There's something so classy and dangerous about the

piano and it took maybe four days of self-restraint before I started playing it.

I've been thinking too. I've always been one of those people that has had delayed reactions. Originally after the whole ordeal I was just numb. I couldn't feel anything, it was like a permanent case of shock and it wouldn't wear off no matter what I did. Sure, I was frustrated because I had to rely on others, but I was numb. And then I got back home and Gibbs just automatically took me in. Then I got mad. One simple act of kindness pushed me over the edge and I was just furious, and I stayed furious at everyone and everything; anger towards my father, towards those jackasses that took an oath to serve and protect and those animals in jail, I was just angry. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I could do nothing but sit and think how fucked over I was. Gibbs was great. If there was ever anyone who knew true tragedy it's him. He knew and he didn't tell me to "cheer up" or any bullshit like that. He got it.

It's interesting really because in the beginning, I was the one to take care of him. I was the one who would talk for him or our team rather because well, Gibbs lacks a certain finesse when talking to people – what the hell am I saying, the man has no people skills whatsoever. I defended him and his actions and I was the one that was able to reign him in. I was also the one that got him to stop drinking as much. I pulled him out at least twice a week to go for drinks with me. In the beginning, I looked out for him because I felt for him; he was a veteran with a murdered wife and child. It should be weird the role reversal, but in all actuality, it's not.

I've also been doing more therapy than I care to share. I hate physical therapy. My body should just work, and that's it. The doctor has me on an incredibly strict diet to help my recovery and has absolutely forbid drinking with the currently prescribed medication. I don't think you're fully understanding how much of a death sentence that was. No drinking. My days start at four thirty in the morning and consist of physical therapy, paperwork (because there is always plenty of that), and boredom. So some days I skipped out on the meds for the drinking, or some days I just combined it and got so fucking drunk.

So sue me. Remember, I don't give a fuck.

NCISNCISNCIS

(Gibbs)

I keep reminding myself for these last three weeks that it's a good thing that no marines or sailors have been killed recently. So what if we have to continue to work cold cases and do paper work, it's a good thing.

Here's a bad thing. This team does not function anywhere near as well as it could with a man down. Each member of this team plays a very important role and the absence of one throws the dynamics of the entire team off. It's unsettling without DiNozzo.

Everyone, including myself, is off. Our chemistry is off, and as a result the days are longer and progress awaits for another day.

And truth to be told, I miss working with DiNozzo. Most people don't realize but I owe much of this team's success to him. After Mike retired, I refused to take on any subordinates and because I had seniority they couldn't put me under someone else's command. This in turn meant I had to do all of the work myself, which was a sizable feat. I took on DiNozzo after the kid put me in my place in Baltimore and because I could share it with him and because of that we started making a lot of progress. The two of us work very well together and he knows me better than he should. As a result, he'll take the beating for the team because he can take it. For that, I give him credit. I also give him credit for not being boring or arrogant or smug like some of the other teammates. Perhaps that's unfair, but I miss him and am bored with the other personalities. DiNozzo makes people come to life, and without him this team is dull and just going through the motions.

"Boss" McGee asks me quietly, standing at the front of my desk.

"Yeah" I say without looking up.

"Abby has an interesting visitor."

I swear to God.

"Should I care?"

"Boss, well, it's-"

I rub my temples.

"Spit it out McGee."

"It's Tony's father" Ziva chimes in from her desk.

Peter DiNozzo. What the hell?

"Where are they" I bark out a little more forcefully than normal.

"They just went for lunch" Ziva responds.

I stand up and look at my shaking agent.

"McGee" I yell, "Why is that man here?"

"I'm not exactly sure."

"Guess."

"Boss" he says twitting his thumbs, "Tony's surprise party is this Friday."

Surprise party, what a ridiculous notion, he planned the whole damn thing.

"Abby is inviting Peter to Tony's birthday?"

"She means well" McGee says.

I sigh. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

(Abby)

"So you really don't speak any Italian?"

I can see where Tony gets his persistence from. I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation at least three times.

"Nope" I respond as I take the muffins out of the oven.

"You're last name is Scuito! You must know some words, perhaps the curses yes?"

Heh, it's fascinating that he and Tony don't get along, they do seem to share so many qualities.

"I'm actually from Louisiana."

"Get the hell out of here" Peter responds while slapping his thigh. With a laugh he declares "Well you're a southerner".

I giggle in return.

"You speak any French?"

There is a crash emanating from the bathroom…another crash. Well there is no gene for grace.

"Everything alright" I call out.

There is groaning from my bathroom, and soon it opens revealing Dominic Leone with a towel wrapped around his waist dripping wet. Yum.

"Um I think I broke something".

"That's because you're an idiot" Peter yells from the kitchen, "Abigail dear, you leave him alone, you come back and keep me company, I am dying after all."

"That's getting real old Uncle Petey" Dominic yells back, and then returning his attention to moi, "I'm really sorry miss."

I ignore the "Don't call me that" from the kitchen; I am going to enjoy this wet piece of meat; mechanics have always been a fetish of mine.

"It's Abby" I say absently, "And what exactly seems to be broken."

He scratches his head, a gesture that it so Tony, "Well, I'm not exactly sure what it is, or what it was-um, I'll clean it up."

Ignorance is bliss, it's best if I don't know, and if he's offering to clean it up, well then, I'm a happy camper. I return to the kitchen to find Peter glaring in our general direction, but his eyes light up upon seeing me.

"Now you were saying you speak French?"

I grab the butter from the fridge.

"A tad of dialect" I respond, "I grew up in Louisiana in a real Cajun community so I can understand more than I can speak."

"So you are Catholic then?"

"Oui" I respond.

"Oh that's a good girl" he laughs back delightedly.

"To be honest though" I continue, "I really don't belong to the Cajuns and what not. My parents were deaf so I grew up within the deaf culture."

"Oh" he says pondering this, and then he throws his hands into the air mimicking signs, "So you do this sign thing?"

"Yes" I reply, "American Sign Language was my first language."

He goes to respond but there is an angry knock on the door-there is only one person that knock that angrily. I have been waiting for this all day so I am quite prepared. There is another crash from the bathroom and quick sorry, but I'm afraid I do not have time for another sneak peek.

I look through the peek hole out of habit and see a restrained Gibbs.

"Hello Gibbs" I say.

"Abby" he says shortly, "Sources tell me that Peter DiNozzo is here."

"Yes."

He's glaring now. Well, I answered the question. He was the one after all who taught me never to give more information out than necessary.

"Abby!"

And that's the end of that.

"Gibbs" I whine, "It's Tony's birthday! This is an excellent surprise present!"

He's glaring again.

I quietly shut the door behind me leaving me and Gibbs in the hallway of my apartment complex.

"He's dying."

Gibbs sighs.

"You can't make people do what you want them to Abs."

Oh I beg to differ.

"Tony and Peter both love each other, they are just too stubborn to meet with each other, so I am doing it for them."

Suddenly my favorite Jethro is looking quite tired.

"Abby" he says, "This is a bad idea."

"I disagree. You said yourself that Tony should reconcile with his father."

"Not like this! Abby, you just can't surprise people on each other! Look, this man, he's done his son wrong, very wrong."

"Not the point" I counter, "It's in the past and they both want this resolved, they just are stuck, so I'm moving them both forward. Peter made a big step by agreeing to come and meet with me."

Gibbs puts on this most thoughtful face.

"How did you get him to agree to come down here anyway?"

I give him a smile in response.

"That's not answer Abs."

"That's all you're getting."

"Peter DiNozzo doesn't know that he's here for Tony does he?"

Sometimes Gibbs is too good at his job.

"Abby!"

"Well he will be by the time party rolls around, me and Dominic are working him! He'll be ready by the time we need him to be."

Gibbs eyes snap to attention.

"Dominic is here?"

Time for a slow blink.

"Is James here also?"

"No?"

Of course the real answer is not yet, but I can leave that out for now.

"Good."

I love when Gibbs goes all papa bear. That kind of compassion and feeling for another individual means that he hasn't completely lost all of himself in his grief.

"I have to tell Tony."

Time for a foot stomp.

"Gibbs! No, look then it won't be a surprise!"

Gibbs sighs.

"I can't do that to him" he says, "he'll see it as betrayal from me. I have to tell him."

"Oh please don't!"

"Abigail" he says quietly, and now I know that whatever he says will be golden, "Tony's been really off lately, and he's very vulnerable. I have to tell him and then if he wants to see his father, it will be his decision and we have to respect that."

"He's still have problems sleeping?"

"Sleepwalking."

I frown.

"You have been-"

Hmm, what is the most tactful way to ask Gibbs if he has been taking care of our little Tony? Oh well, we have years of friendship.

"You've been with him right?

Gibbs is glaring at me like I personally offended him, and maybe I did, but I don't care. Gibbs doesn't always know exactly what the right thing is to do in certain situations. Now don't get me wrong, in most cases he is the most capable person ever, but sometimes, well sometimes he lacks certain qualities. When Tony was first brought on, I and him shared all our Gibbs stories because we were the only ones that could see past his hard exterior.

There is another crash from my apartment. It would be much more humorous if it wasn't my apartment, but then again, that's life, what are you going to do?


	17. Chapter 17

AN: So apparently this story needs to be told in 18 chapters, which is much longer than I could have anticipated but, I'm very happy with how it's turned out.

(Gibbs)

With a heavy sigh I open the front door to the house. Instantly I am greeted with something delicious smelling. Let it be known now that DiNozzo has many talents; his cooking announces its presence. I walk in and find him stirring something in a pot.

"Hey boss" he greets me, "everything okay?"

I take a seat on the table.

"Yeah why wouldn't it be?"

"You're late" he says.

"I can't be late DiNozzo?"

He gives me a look.

"Okay fine, don't tell me" he says mischievously, "I'll just guess and hopefully be delightedly surprised when my surprise birthday rolls around, unless of course I guess too highly and then you've just delivered a disappointment for my present."

Normally I would roll my eyes, but not this time.

"Hey Tony" I say, "Come take a seat, I need to talk to you."

He stops mid-action and I can see him contemplating every possible problem.

"What's wrong" he asks from where he's standing.

"Nothing's wrong" I tell him, "Just come sit down, will you?"

Cautiously he pulls a seat next to me.

"Gibbs?"

I run my hand through my hair.

"Abby wanted to surprise you" I start, "But, I figure certain things don't make for good surprises."

A raised eyebrow is all I'm going to get from him it seems.

"Dom and your father are staying with her until the party."

He looks down trying to absorb what he's hearing. Finally he nods his heads in acknowledgement that he heard me. Then, to my surprise, he gets up and walks back to his food.

"DiNozzo?"

"I don't want to talk about this right now Gibbs" he says tersely, "If he wants to come, fine, come. I don't care. It's just a stupid party."

A stupid party that he's been talking about for two months.

"Tony" I try again.

"No" he shouts and slams his fist into the counter, "I don't care! He wants to come, fine! That's his business."

He again turns his back to me.

"Hey" I say clippedly, "He doesn't have to come, its your call."

"Whatever" he screams, and throws his arms out, "I don't give a fuck!"

Only unfortunately he hits the pot with his hand and immediately is scalded.

"Ah shit!"

I jump up to see where he is cradling his hand. I go to reach for him but he jumps out of my space.

"Don't touch me!"

I stop. He's been having episodes or flashbacks that we've been working through. Just quick flashes of him thinking he's back in that cell, or in someway being attacked. At the moment I can't tell if this is one of them.

"Son of a bitch" he mutters and then takes the pot with of his hands and hurls it across the room contents spraying everywhere.

"Who the hell does he think he is" he screams, "He just comes down here? To stay with Abby? And Dom? What the hell? What the fucking hell? I don't get him, that son of a bitch!"

"DiNozzo" I shout, but not unkindly, "Hey, that needs to go under the faucet."

"No" he whines and slouches down onto the ground holding his worse off hand, "You can't just do that to people, you can't just torture them. Can't he call? I can't walk for two months but he can't even call, but no, he'll come all the way down to personally screw me in person. Son of a bitch!"

"Hey" I shout over him, "He doesn't have to come, this is your call."

"No it's not" he shouts back at me, "It's never my call. What the hell am I supposed to say to my family that I didn't let my old dying father to my birthday party? What the hell, fucking birthday party to begin with, who the hell does that? I stopped having birthday parties at eight."

I walk over gently and help raise him.

"Come on" I tell him, "Let's do this under the faucet."

He's not registering the pain, which is bad because that could mean shock. I stand behind him and push his hands under the running water. I could leave, but with the state he's in it's better if I just keep where I am.

"It's another mind fuck" he says miserably and leans against me, "That's my entire relationship with him, just one mind fuck after another. That's what this is. He's getting in his last cheap shot before he bites it."

"Uh huh" I say humoring him while evaluating the burns, it doesn't seem to be too bad, "So tell him no."

"I can't do that" he says dejectedly, "you don't get choices Gibbs. You just get stuck."

"You're not stuck" I tell him, "I'll tell your dad that he's not welcome in my home. Then you and he can have a quick chat on the porch and then after that, it's over."

He shaking a bit and I can feel the rage pumping through his arms.

"Son of a bitch" he mutters again, "He ruins everything, he just can't stay the fuck away. I have to, I have to go."

Suddenly he turns and I release my grip on him. The next thing I know he's out the door.

(DiNozzo)

After taking my ire out on the pavement for two miles I end up at St. Pat's. I walk into the dimly lit church and stand there taking it all in. As a kid, Aunt Louisa would always bring me to church on Sunday along with her family, my father didn't attend seeing as how he was mad with God. Anyhow, we always sat in the back because we were too fidgety. No that's not true, we were too annoying and loud and my aunt never wanted to be embarrassed in front of the priest. Well I'm not a kid anymore. I walk up and sit in the front pew on the right hand side of the church. Hmm, perhaps the back would have been best, it feels odd and strangely exposing all the way in the front. I look up and in the dim lighting I make out the statue of the virgin mother.

Like most other Catholics, I love Mary. Even former Catholics or agnostic Catholics always love Mary. However, Mary always meant something even more special to me because I had lost my mom early. I kind adopted Mary as my new mom. I used to pray to Mary and there was a time in my life when I truly felt close to her. I guess it's fitting that I am seated here again in my time of need.

"Alright Mary" I say to her in my head, "I know it's been a while and I know I haven't always been the best Catholic, but this religion is for the sinners, and God knows I've sinned, so here I am petitioning for your help. Here's the situation. My father and I, we don't get along, we've never gotten along, and I'm pretty sure that deep down when my father dies, I won't give a damn. I don't like the man."

It dawns on me that I should be kneeling so I pull the riser down and get on my knees.

"As I was saying, I don't like the man. I don't think that he likes me, but you know how us Sicilians are, la familgia and all that jazz. He wants to die knowing that his only son holds him in good graces. He wants to be able to meet my mom and say that while he fucked the rest of it up, he ended it the way it should have been ended. I don't think I owe him that. I don't think owe him anything."

I sigh and take a deep breath and look up at the statue and notice that even in marble she looks like she's listening.

"I know that your Son's big thing was forgiveness, and since you were His momma, I'm thinking that you might share some of His zeal for that. I know that I'm supposed to forgive him. I just don't think that I can. I'm too angry and I'm too hurt. He wants solace, and I want to give him hell. I've never once complained to you that my deck of cards weren't fair, not when Kate died, my mom died, not when Pete from Peoria died, not when Jenny died, not when I was arrested and almost killed, and not when I learned the truth behind all of it. But this, I don't know Mary, I think you're asking too much. You want me to let him off the hook when he would never do it for me. I don't think that's very fair within the logic of my life."

I look around the church and notice the great saints and of course, Jesus who forgave his killers.

"I ain't no saint" I say angrily in my head, "I'm not them, this isn't fair for someone, or you, to ask this of me. Okay, look, maybe I brought this on myself because I always prayed to you to help smooth things over with my dad. Fine, that's my bad. This isn't what I prayed for though. I prayed for my father to ask for my forgiveness as a kid when he didn't show up to a game, or a graduation, scratch that, any graduation. I would have given it then. I really would have, but now? When he was yelling at me I realized that it wasn't that he wanted me dead, or that he wanted the mafia to torture me, or anything like that. He just wanted to take me down a peg like always and he just didn't think it through. He was so blinded by his hatred for me, his son, that he was going to trade me to the mafia. He was so angry with me that he didn't even think it through to what that really means. I know that deep down, he doesn't want me killed, especially at his expense, but the fact that he can't see past his own anger for me to see his decision for what it was, I don't know. But does it matter? If you're walking in the park and a man stabs you in the back, you're dead. If you're walking in a park and a man trips and falls and stabs you in the back by accident you're dead too. Does the intention matter, or does the final result? Maybe my dad was just a victim to his situations, hell I don't know. I'm tired Mary. I'm really tired. You want me to do the right thing again? Well I have news for you, the right thing wears you down after a while. I have always tried to do the right thing and I need you acknowledge that. I can't do it anymore unless something gives. Okay Mary? You got to give me something to work with. Tell your Son that I need some help down here. Si Maria? I need to know that all my efforts are not in vain and someone somewhere appreciates the hell that man put me through, and appreciates the fact that I did something of worth and sacrifice by putting with him through all these years. Someone needs to give a damn about me for once, okay? I need someone to do right by me before I go and do that."

I sit back down and lean against the hard wooden pew. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. That man resented me my whole life and the only reason he wants to smooth things over now has nothing to do with me but more our culture. I feel tears prickling and anger starting to churn again in my gut. Suddenly the pew creaks and another body sits next to me. I don't open my eyes.

"Hey Gibbs" I say tiredly.

"How are you doing" he responds back.

I shrug.

"You know you didn't have to follow me out here" I tell him, "I've taken enough of your time."

A gentle tap on the head greets me.

"To be fair" Gibbs says quietly, "You had to accompany me to my daughter and wife's graves."

I open my eyes and give him a rueful smile. It's then that I notice that he has a manila folder in his hand.

"What's that" I ask him.

Gibbs does something decidedly un-Gibbs. He looks away, scratching his head, and looks downright embarrassed.

"I don't know how you're gonna-" he stops himself, "It's not supposed to depress-" he stops again, "I don't mean to be presumptuous, and I don't want to freak you out either-ah hell, just read it."

Curiosity outweighing concern I take out the papers. It's a copy of a will and testament. Allow me to clarify: Gibbs's last will and testament. I briefly scan it and it doesn't take long for to ascertain that he's leaving everything to me. Mostly everything, his wife's jewelry and other womanly things go to Abby, and a few things here and there for McGee, but the majority of it? Straight to a certain Anthony Michael DiNozzo, ladies and gentlemen that would be yours truly. There's also a letter addressed to me.

Tony, it starts, and it's almost too much, and I have to wipe my eyes to refocus my vision because I think I'm crying.

Tony,

As I am sure you are now aware I have left you the majority of my possessions. I'm not a man of words, and I am always confident that you understand me, but here it is nonetheless. I consider you to be my son.

I can't read anymore after that because I think the strangling sound that is now echoing in the church just came from me. I try again.

I consider you to be my son. When I first met you and took you on it was because you were a challenge and you had bested me in Baltimore. Originally, I just wanted to smack that damn cheeky grin off your face, and the more I got to know you, the more I wanted to smack you. However, the longer we worked together I came to consider you a close friend and confidant. You have been there for me when no one else was and if not for you my depression would have won that battle years ago.

The truth of the matter is, is that when Kate died it hurt something awful and it stings to this day. However, it if had been you it would have destroyed me. I respect you in so many ways and I need you to know that. I also need you to know that I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. I have such tremendous respect for your loyalty and convictions and I need you to know that I acknowledge what it has cost you.

You have every skill set necessary to lead and investigate or to do whatever the hell it is that you decide to do. I hope that by leaving you with my estate it will be able to help secure your future, perhaps even start that private investigation business I know you once dreamed about or that Ferrari. Whatever it is, use the money for something that makes you happy. I'll kick you ass from above you don't.

Attached is a contact sheet of emergency numbers if you ever need anything. Call anyone of the listed people and tell them that you're Leroy's son and they'll take care of you, this I promise you.

The only thing I would encourage you to consider is to have kids. You don't know what you're missing and you'd make a great father. Also, settle down with a nice girl. Don't be afraid that once she gets to know you she'll leave-give yourself the credit you deserve.

And one last thing-never let anyone ever tell you or convince you that you are worthless. You are always my most prized.

I love you son.

Gibbs

And that's it folks, my vision is shit, and what the hell Gibbs, I would never make you cry this hard. And all of a sudden I don't give a fuck where I am or how much I'm bawling, I dive straight first for the man. He gives a startled grunt, but quickly wraps his arms back around me. Damn, the man is strong, but I don't care. It's warm all of a sudden, and that empty pit in my stomach is filling. I'm so emotional that I can't talk, but I'm figuring that he's going to get that. I'm vaguely aware of the man petting my hair down like an emotionally driven child, but I don't care, it's comforting and it's so comforting in fact that I can't be bothered to be humiliated.

"Damn it Gibbs" I say as best I can. My face is buried in his neck and I can barely breathe but I can't bring myself to move. I bang my fist against his chest, damn him, just damn it all.

Gibbs on his part is still doing that petting hair thing, and I don't know what the hell I'm doing anymore, so I just keep sobbing my heart out.

Alright Mary, well played. Va bene. You win this round. I'll talk to the man, but no promises.

(Gibbs)

"This movie better be good DiNozzo" I bark out although secretly I've already seen it, but I won't break his heart telling him that.

I place the popcorn on the table

"It's great" he responds offended, "Would I pick out a bad movie?"

I give him a face and sit down next to him. He's fingering the remote, which only means he has something to say.

"Spit it out already."

"Alright" he says, "I want my dad to come tomorrow."

I nod. "Any particular reason why you came to this decision?"

"Yeah" he says quietly turning so he can look at me, "It's the right thing. I'll give him his happy ending. Tomorrow I'll be good, and he can die knowing that his son doesn't hate him. I wanted nothing growing up and I have to appreciate that. At the end of the day, we're still blood and that comes with certain obligations. I can't screw him like he did me. I won't do that, it's not who I am. I know what it feels like when he didn't give a crap about me, and I know how much that stings. We don't have a relationship today and that's his fault, he's the heavy on that, but I won't do what he did to me. I'm not him."

I smile despite myself.

"You ready to see him?"

He looks down but quickly meets my eyes.

"I will be tomorrow."

"He's not sorry Tony" I tell him, and I'm only prodding because I need him to realize that his father is not going to be easy tomorrow, and I need him prepared for that.

To DiNozzo's credit he doesn't even blink, "It's not about him anymore" he tells me, "It's about me doing the right thing because it's the right thing. He's my father and he's dying. That's it, end of story. "

"Okay" I say giving my consent, "Well don't forget, you won't be alone."

Tony smiles at me and scratches his head, "Yeah I've got great friends. Hell man, I've got excellent friends that care enough about me to put up Dom and my father for two days in her apartment."

That image leaves me laughing.

"When I visited there was crashing in the apartment."

Tony laughs heartily.

"That's what you get when you meddle."

(Gibbs)

So the party is going well, of course that's probably because Abby and company have yet to make an appearance. Some other family members decided to make the trip down and are now here and surprisingly everyone seems to be relaxed and getting along. Of course then it is a barbeque so people are supposed to be relaxed but I'm prepared to overlook that.

DiNozzo seems okay. In the beginning it was just him, me, and then some other work people that he plays basketball with when he gets a chance. They're not close enough to be invited to come to this but everyone was real worried about him so they came. He seemed on edge with them, but when Carmine, James, and Christian bounced in cursing at each other and yelling for whatever the reason it settled him somewhat. Then Monica and Simona popped in, and since they are women they easily were able to include all groups, family and work together in a good conversation that everyone now seems to be enjoying. Ziva and McGee arrived shortly thereafter and have been helping considerably with the cooking.

"Hey asshole" I hear from the front door.

And here we go.

I walk over and see Dominic screaming for Tony. Abby and Peter are standing there quietly.

"Hey Dominic" I say, "Everyone's out back."

"Hey man" he replies back easily, "We brought wine and cannoli's."

I stick my hand out for Peter.

"Nice to see you again sir" I respond.

That small gesture seems to knock him off his game. He recovers and shakes my hand and I realize that he just might be as nervous as his son. Well, perhaps that is a stretch.

"Where's the cum-dumpster" Dominic asks, and I can't help but wince at the language. I mean I realize that I don't have the cleanest vocabulary but it's as if he goes out of his way to find the most repulsive imagery as possible.

"Out back" I respond.

Dominic rushes off but Peter is dead set in the hallway looking at me.

"I need to speak with you" he tells me.

"Peter" Abby says as if she chastising a child, "It's fine. Tony will just be happy that you here."

He brushes her off.

"I need a present to give my son."

Why is he looking at me?

"There's a mall down about that way."

He glares at me.

"I have no idea what he likes" he responds in a clipped manner as if he is offended that I expect him to know what his son interests are.

I settle for glaring.

"Please" he tries again, "I need something to give him. What did you get him, I know you must have gotten him something."

I breathe in deeply.

"It's from me" I respond.

"Please" he says again, "If I give him nothing, well, you just can't do that, especially in an Italian household, I didn't realize that this was his birthday party, please just let me take credit for it."

I breathe in more deeply. How could you not know it was his birthday party?

"I'm dying" he says again, "If you really cared for Anthony you'd want him to make up with his father before he died. Anthony and I don't have another opportunity, Mr. Gibbs."

Manipulative asshole.

"Fine" I say nodding my head, "But only because you're dying and this means something to Tony."

And fuck I don't care how crass that sounds. I spent a long time picking out my gift.

"Come with me" I tell him and he follows me into my office at home where I pull out an envelope.

"You got him a year's worth of dancing classes."

He looks disgusted.

"Hey" I bark out before I can stop myself, "You don't have to give it to him."

"No" he says immediately changing his expression, "This is very thoughtful. Thank you."

I nod my head again and we depart to the back where everyone is sitting and laughing. Tony eyes his father, gets up and leaves the group behind.

"Dad" he says, "So glad you could make it, how are you?"

DiNozzo's undercover skills never cease to amaze me, by all counts that sounded truly genuine.

"Anthony" his father says back, and hugs his son. It's an awkward embrace but it's a start and it's not the two of them trying to kill each other so I'm okay with that. Tony to his credit puts his arm around his father and brings him over to the group.

"Hey everyone, this is my father. Dad I don't think you've met everyone here, this is…"

I go back inside confident that DiNozzo has his head on straight to get through tonight. The doorbell rings and I go to greet whoever could possibly be left out. I open the door and…well…holy fucking shit. There are at least twenty Italians standing at the door, and most of them look over ninety.

"Signore Gibbs" Angelo DiNozzo greets, "Come sta."

I smile in return and look for someone that I recognize that can speak English.

"Ciao" I say back.

"Eh-hey" Angelo screams delightedly, "Si si ciao!"

The crowd seems to delight in my Italian 101. I also know grazie, capo, and my personal favorite, bastardo, I wonder what the crowd will do with bastardo. Angelo proceeds to welcome himself into my house followed by a parade of old people. I do not have enough food for all of these people. Hell, who are these people? Finally Nicholas and Paul and some other woman who is dressed like a prostitute come to the door.

"Hey man" Nicholas says, "Good to see you again."

Paul waves, "Yo, did you guys start eating yet? I'm starving."

"You're always starving" the woman replies and then sticks her hand out to greet me. Her fifteen bracelets on her wrist jingle, and adorning her hand are long red nails with diamonds, and rings.

"Ma'am" I greet her.

"Call me Dani" she says coyly. The woman's very ample breasts seem ready to pop out of her low red cut dress. In fact the whole dress seems about ready to pop off her and I thank God for the huge belt holding it all in.

"You're going to cheat right in front me" Paul cries, "Really?"

"I'm just saying hello! I can't say hello?"

"Oh shit" Nicholas screams, "That's it!'

He grabs me by the arms.

"Do you know what it's like to listen to the two of them for seven hours stuck in the car?"

"I told him we should have taken the parkway" Dani tells me, "Not my fault he knew a "shortcut""

"It was a shortcut" Paul screams indignantly.

"Do you know the definition of the word shortcut, dumbass?"

Nicholas' fingers squeeze deeper into my arm and he looks like some of the soldiers I pulled out of detention camps.

"I'm going to kill myself" he tells me, "I'm really going to do it."

Another woman comes up to greet us. And if I thought Dani was bad… The woman is dressed in electric green leggings, a sparkly silver shirt, and the highest heels on her boots that I've ever seen in my life.

"Oh you think your car was bad?" she screeches, "I had to make thirteen stops for the bathroom! I am never driving with them again! Next time you get the old people, they're too hot, they're too cold, they're not happy, you can't please them! No matter what you do there is always a problem. I almost pulled the damn car over and called immigration to take them away."

"They're American citizens" Nicholas says, "Immigration can't take them away."

"Oh please" she responds, "By the time they would have found that out I could have escaped! And you son of a bitch you told me that they spoke English!"

Nicholas keeps staring into my eyes and I think I might be contemplating considering to put him on suicide watch.

"They speak English Frannie!"

"Not a word, not one word!" she screams back.

Meanwhile, Dani and Paul make their way into the house pushing me and Nicholas aside.

"Where's the food" I hear Paul asking.

"You don't need the damn food Paulie" Dani retorts, "You've had enough to eat for a lifetime!"

"I'm starving!"

"You just ate!"

"That was an hour ago!"

Nicholas takes a deep breath, and releases me facing this other woman.

"Frannie" he says, "Your last name is Colombo! You don't speak any Italian? How can you not know any words?"

"I'm sorry my family is educated!"

She marches off into the house probably in pursuit of food.

"That's my fiancé" he tells me dejectedly, "Francine Colombo who doesn't speak a word of Italian. I probably should have taken the old people car, or one of them, but I couldn't. You don't know what they're like, all they do is complain, all the time. They don't stop."

"Nicholas" I say, "Take this from someone who has three ex-wives, never give the fiancé the crap jobs before the marriage. You're supposed to be giving the illusion that you're a catch, you're supposed to introduce them to the family until as late as possible."

That earns me a smile.

"Well it's not like it's my car was any better. Special Agent Gibbs, they fought the whole time. The entire time."

"I don't have enough food" I tell him, because I figure that someone should know that.

"Oh" he says thoughtfully, "That's going to be a problem."

"How big of a problem" I ask him.

He shrugs. "Eh, they'll get over it."

"Really?"

"No, I'm lying, it's probably going to be catastrophic. At Monica's wedding the restaurant ran out of antipasto so the old people rioted. They started stealing food from each other and grabbing for it…they all thought they were in the depression again and it was every man for himself. Police were called…it wasn't pretty agent Gibbs."

Okay. "I'm going to go call a caterer."

"That's an excellent idea" he says agreeing with me.

(McGee)

The party started out so well. We all were really enjoying ourselves. Tony's cousins are hysterical and we were all really having fun. Even when his father came, he remained silent and let Tony and his cousins take the floor for the stories, and I'm telling you, it was going really well. The people from our work were laughing and even able to contribute to the conversation after Simona, Connie, and Monica came. The women were very gracious and even laughed at our stories. Ducky came in soon after that and he was most content with being able to tell his stories to the three beauties. I can tell they were just humoring him, but I think it's sweet that they were so kind and engaging with him. Everyone seemed to be having an excellent time.

Then the next boatload came in. Then things became….interesting. Tony seemed shocked that most of the people that came were even alive, and seemed to be under the impression that they had been dead for years, but whatever. It would have been fine except for the fact that the majority of the people in the over eighty group didn't speak English. Truthfully it was only a problem when around dinner time they all sat down and didn't seem happy to be excluded from the conversation, so in turn they changed it into Italian. So now for the last hour we have all been sitting with these people speaking Italian and no one really knowing what they are saying. They keep pointing at me and other people so there is this continuous sense of fear that we are being talked about.

Tony on his part is handling this very well and seems resigned to the fact that there is nothing he can do about it. Dominic on the other hand I thought was going to loose it and left thirty minutes ago because he couldn't take it. Apparently they weren't saying the nicest things. Francine however seems to be the main topic of gossip and left the table sobbing forty minutes ago and has yet to return. She also doesn't speak Italian but you don't need to speak the language when people keep pointing at you, sneering, mimicking your walking and putting on makeup, and then adding "fanculo" in between every other word.

Nicholas on the other hand just started sobbing right there at the table. I have to say, Tony really is taking this in stride. I can't tell what Gibbs is feeling because he is using his stoic face that doesn't let anyone in, probably meaning he's ready to kill someone.

"So" Agent Miller says to no one in particular, "DiNozzo is an Italian name."

Tony just looks at him.

Luckily Francine returns with Dominic and they find their seats before that can of worms can be opened. Each are holding bottles of Jack Daniels. I pray to God that those aren't Gibbs' because then there will be hell to pay.

"Okay" Dominic says and cracks open his bottle, "You ready Fanny?"

Her mascara has completely run down her face and she looks like a monster extra for a tv set but seems to be with the program now. Everyone turns their attention to the two of them.

"First one to go the Emergency Room wins" he tells her. "Ready, set go!"

The two of them start chugging their bottles.

And finally an emotion from Gibbs. His jaw drops.

"Oh my god" Dani is screaming, "Stop that! You can't drink that much! Oh my God, someone do something! Oh my God, oh my fucking God, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Paulie you dumb shit get up!"

The old people stop talking and glance over to see the massive alcohol consumption. Gibbs and Ziva jump to attention and go to remove the bottles from Dominic and Francine who are drinking like its water, but they find great resistance from both of them.

Gibbs manages to subdue Dominic but Ziva seems to be having a problem with Francine. Finally she resorts to banging the glass against the table thereby shattering it into a million pieces. Francine looks dead ahead and then passes out.

For a second no one moves or does anything except Tony who mutters "Of course."

Then there is a rush to get to her and help her. The problem is is that Dominic might be able to drink that much because he's 6'2 and had a huge build, but Francine is maybe 5'2 and incredibly thin.

Nicholas shoots down onto the ground holding his fiance's hand.

"You can't leave me! You can't leave me with these people!"

Gibbs pushes him away to better assist the situation and Ziva calls an ambulance. Ducky quickly goes to assist Francine, but I can tell his attention is split between her and studying Tony's family for their reactions. The truth of the matter is that everyone is kind of entranced with the entire spectacle. For a bunch of emergency professionals we are quite frozen at the moment.

"You killed her" Nicholas starts screaming pointing a finger at the old people, "You killed her! She can't handle this kind of insanity! She's not Sicilian!"

Someone from the old people section makes a joke and they are laughing, this in turn enrages Nicholas who picks up a knife and holds it to his neck.

"Oh must you be so melodramatic" Simona comments, "Would you please?"

"I'm not going back to New York without her!"

"Oh my God" Tony finally screams, "Someone save that girl because he cannot stay here!"

Ha, Tony's accent strikes again and with a vengeance. It's still weird to me to hear him speak like that, but somehow it is just so fitting.

"What the hell did I ever do to you" Nicky screams back.

"You're fucking retarded" Dominic says sloppily as he falls over onto the ground, "That's your problem."

"You're going to insult me while I'm trying to kill myself" Nicholas screams, "Really, that what's you're going to do? This family sucks!"

"Nicky" Peter screams, "Shut up!"

"Now look" an elder woman says who I don't recognize, "You see, this is the problem with these kids, so selfish. Who you think is going to have to clean up his dead body? If you're going to kill yourself at least bury the hole and then jump in."

"That's it" Nicky screams, "I'm doing it!"

"Then fucking do it already would you, I'm sick of hearing you" Dani says back, "Always complaining. The whole ride up here!"

Nicholas eyes' might actually burst out of his head.

"I complained" he screamed only now the knife is being waved around, "I complained?! Are you kidding me?"

"Nicky" Dominic says from the ground, "Dude, calm the fuck down."

"They killed my fiancé!"

Some other senior agent finally takes a stand and decides to intervene.

"Nicky" he says gently, "Why don't we sit down and talk about this okay?"

"Don't say my name" Nicholas screams, "That's what all the suicide people say to help and try and build a connection, we are not building a relationship!"

"Why do you know that" Tony asks from his seat, "Really man, why do you know that?"

"He's tried to kill himself five times in the last week" Dani offers.

"Really" Tony says deadpan, "And no one thought that maybe he has a problem?"

"His problem is withdrawal" Carmine offers.

"The fuck did you give me" Nicky screams, "This is all your fault."

"Oh my God" Tony says burying himself into his hands.

"Hey" Simona says while standing up, "Shut up, these are all cops, no one says a word" and then to the law enforcement group, "they are all under counsel."

"Oh my God" Agent Cadanstky cries out pointing a finger at Carmine, "That's where I know you from, I think I arrested you! I've been trying to place you all night! Hell, I'm not sure, but I think it was you! You were the guy that took out four cop cars, man that was legendary back in the day."

A huge smile lights up on Carmine's face, "Yeah man, I know you! You were the guy that tasered me, ha, man so legendary huh? How you doing?"

"Good good" Agent Cadanstky says while laughing, like its one big joke, "I don't know if you remember cause you were…well you know, not exactly sober-"

"I was fucking stoned out of my mind" Carmine interrupts him, "I swear I actually thought I was a pig with a cape just flying around."

Agent Cadantsky laughs, "Well you gave me some advice about my partner back in the day, you remember short red head?"

"Dude" Carmine responds, "I don't remember much from 2002."

"Hey" Nicholas screams, "I'm trying to kill myself here!"

"Eh you shut up" Carmine screams right back, "You see us talking here? You got no manners."

"Well anyhow" Candanstky continues, "You told me that I should stop just looking at her and get with her, and um, well I took you advice."

"Oh yeah? How'd it work out?"

"Getting married in two months."

"No fucking way! Dude, you got to invite me to the wedding, I'll come back down and stay with Tone."

I can't tell if Tony is crying, but I wouldn't blame him if he was.

The love fest between Cadanstky and Carmine is interrupted however as we hear the sirens from the ambulance. The paramedics come in, assess the situation and refuse to treat Francine when there is a man running around with a knife. In response to that Ducky and Gibbs carry Francine out to the ambulance in front of the house. In their absence, Louisa and Raymond come in.

"Hello" they say entering the backyard where we are all seated with huge boxes, "How is everyone?"

Nicky eyes the two of them carefully.

"Is that cake?"

"Of course" Louisa says.

"Chocolate mousse?" Nicky questions.

"Yeah the good kind" Raymond offers.

"Why are you guys so late?"

"We heard that there was catering and we decided to stop for real food."

I think that whimpering is coming from Tony but out of respect for him I'm not going to look and confirm it.

Nicky drops the knife and takes a seat. Well…that was interesting. Apparently suicide can wait until after cake.

"Anthony" Louisa says, "Aren't you going to get up and say hello, maybe introduce us?"

"Sure" he mutters, "Why not."

He gets up, but not before grabbing Dominic's somewhat empty Jack Daniels and taking a giant swig of his own.

"Everyone" he says, "This is my Aunt Louisa, and my Uncle Raymond, Aunt Louisa, Uncle Raymond, welcome to my own personal hell."


	18. Chapter 18

AN: It's been a pleasure to write and even more so to read all of your wonderful comments. Thank you all so much. I hope to get my next story out soon, so keep your eyes posted for that. Please do review and let me know what you liked about the story and what you would like to see more of. Thank you all again.

(Ducky)

Today has been quite interesting. I would have never imagined Anthony to come from such… colorful people. The party at this point has dissipated, with most of the senior citizens tired and returning to the hotel. Most of our work associates have left quite content with their decision to attend the party. At first I was embarrassed for Anthony but it turns out that everyone has a fantasy life and the general consensus is that the party was a hit and that everyone was very well entertained.

The majority of his family has also left either to go to the hospital with that poor girl Francine, who reportedly is doing fine but being treated for alcohol poisoning. As of now it our close intimate work group, and a few select relatives including, Anthony's father, Mr. and Mrs. Leone and Dominic, although he has resigned himself to the bathroom as he purges his body.

Now it is present time. Anthony just looks like he wants the day to end, but alas, there is tradition to consider.

Ziva gives Anthony a beautiful book about early Hollywood and the silent screen stars. Clearly he loved it and after that he seemed to remember that getting gifts were fun.

Abigail gives him an expensive pair of sunglasses, and Mr. and Mrs. Leone give him a beautiful golden cross.

McGee's present quite startled me seeing as how it was a DVD set of Maury. Anthony seemed quite enamored with the gift, so perhaps it was a private joke.

My gift was a bit of a risk, but he seemed to enjoy it; it was Dante's Inferno in the original Italian with an English translation. I understand that Anthony's fluent but the Italian that the work was written is very old and of a dialect and so I am sure he will need the English for aid. He promised me to a date after he finishes it so we can discuss it.

Finally it came down Jethro who looked…off.

"Hey kid" he said gently, looking somewhat upset, "Mine didn't come in yet. Raincheck okay?"

Well now that is decidedly unlike my friend. I find it very hard to believe that Gibbs wouldn't have a present ready in time to give to young Anthony, who I know Gibbs considers to be like a son, and by the way Anthony is looking at Gibbs, I don't think he believes it either.

"Yeah sure Gibbs" Tony says, his eyes quite not in agreement with what he's saying, "No problem."

"Well" Peter says, "Here's my gift."

He passes an envelope to his son.

"Thanks Dad" Anthony says pocketing it.

"Aren't you going to open it" Peter says.

Tony looks at his father.

"It's not money?"

"No no, open it!"

Tony intrigued now opens the envelope, and pulls out a brochure and a note. He reads it and looks…well…shocked.

"Dance lessons" Tony says quietly, "Wow, this is…this is great…dad."

"Do you like it" Peter asks.

"I love it" Anthony responds with complete honesty and tears in his eyes, "This is…just…wow. I really love it."

He looks at his father and then at Gibbs. Tony gets up to give his father a hug. As he hugs his father he looks straight at Gibbs and mouths, "Thank you."

Gibbs gives him a wink but then resumes his stoic face.

Well, how about that?

(Gibbs)

It's not eavesdropping…it's not. It's just staying within Tony and Peter's proximity so that I can hear everything they are saying. Everyone is gone except the two of them…well that not entirely true, I keep forgetting that I have that buffoon in my bathroom puking his brains out. Anyhow, Tony and Peter are now having biscotti's and coffee, and they're speaking to one another. I have every reason to eaves-stay within their proximity.

"I am proud of you" Peter says with a tone.

"Yeah okay Dad" Tony replies back annoyed, "You keep saying that."

"I mean it!"

Tony looks at his father, "Alright, I believe you."

"You think I did you wrong" Peter says…it's not a question.

I glace over to Tony who is considerably taut. This man is poking at every one of his buttons after a very long day.

"Dad" Tony says tiredly, "The past is in the past, you always made sure there was a roof over my head and food. You gave me an education and a love for my culture and heritage. You grew up with nothing and made something of yourself. I'm proud to be your son."

Peter looks at his son and claps.

"Beautiful speech Antonio, how many times did you have to recite that before you committed it to memory?"

"Dad" Tony says hitting the table with his fist, "What do you want from me?"

"Ah" Peter says, "Now there's that anger."

Tony breathes in deeply, "I think it's time to go."

"Wait" Peter says desperately, "Look, you don't understand."

"I was there Dad" Tony cries, "How can I not understand? Come on, let's not do this, I don't want to do this with you."

"You don't know what it was like back then."

Tony is grabbing at his hair and I can see how hard he is trying to keep his mouth shut.

"Do you know what it's like to be cold?"

Tony is glaring.

"Real cold" he continues.

With an icy tone, Tony responds, "Don't minimize my experiences Dad."

"I'm not trying to" Peter replies, "I'm just trying to make you understand."

"I need a drink" Tony says getting up and heads over to the kitchen. I meet him there.

He pours himself a generous glass and immediately begins drinking on it.

"Hey" I say coming into his view, "Easy with that, I don't have another bathroom currently available at the moment."

"He's doing it" Tony tells me, "He's getting to me and I'm going to say something, I'm going to blow it and then I'm going to be the heel that tells his father go fuck himself right before he dies. He's enjoying this, I'm telling you the man is a sadist."

The glass rises to his lips but I stop it, and then gently take it from him.

"I won't let you."

"Gibbs" he tells me angrily, "I think I've been very good all day long, but now I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I can't keep suppressing today's abuse."

"I won't let you blow it" I tell him. I push him towards the room, "Now go."

I continue cleaning around the house with an ear keenly attached to this conversation, and it's getting ugly. I'm giving it a minute before I step in.

"You have a very nice little job" Peter says, "You've made a nice little life yourself down here. I'm proud of you."

"Why" Tony demands.

"Why what?"

"Why are you proud of my nice little job?"

Peter is silent.

"Why are you proud Dad" Tony screams.

"I don't know why" Peter screams back, "But that's what you're supposed to say!"

And there's a glass being hurled across the room. Now it's time.

"Why are you doing this to me" Tony screams from the other room, "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm not doing anything to you" Peter screams back, "I'm trying to do what fathers do!"

"Ahh-haahh" Tony screams, "What does that mean, what the hell does that mean? You've never tried to do that before!"

I enter in the room, "Hey" I say, "How's it going in here, anyone need refills?"

Both Peter and Tony's chairs are knocked over and both are standing looming over their area space straight across from each other.

"I'm trying to talk to him" Peter screams while pointing at his son.

"Okay" I say while picking up Tony's chair and shoving him into it, "He's trying to talk to you Tony." I rest my hands on Tony's shoulders. "So let the man speak, he's trying to tell you he's proud of you."

"Boss" Tony growls.

"Trust me" I whisper back to him.

"Mr. DiNozzo" I say, "Please continue."

"I could never speak to him" Peter says angrily, "You never once listened, you were always impossible!"

I can feel Tony's muscles tightening underneath my hands. In response, I start to massaging it with my thumb to calm him down a little. It seems to work somewhat.

"You never tried to talk to me" Tony says quietly.

"Well I couldn't" Peter says back, "I never knew you, how was I supposed to talk to you? The only damn thing you ever talked about as a kid was movies. You would just go and on for hours. Look I tried Anthony, I did, but you don't know what it was like for me. I never wanted kids. Rosie wanted them. I didn't see what the point was. She had me, what more could she need? But I understood it, I worked all day and she had no one, so I gave it my blessing and she had you."

Peter takes his seat again.

"I worked like a dog" he continues, "I would wake up at four thirty in the morning and come home at nine. They were grueling days and no one ever gave me any kind of break. You don't know what it was like. Growing up we had nothing, Rosemarie had nothing, we all came from nothing. We felt like nothing and all anyone ever told us is that we were nothing. Our parents didn't speak English and no one wanted anything to do with us. There was never enough food or heat. Poverty like that drives you, and it makes into this animal that can never go back to those circumstances and so all I did was work. It was fine in the beginning but then when you were born her attention was divided between me and you. You were never my child, you were always hers."

"What does that mean" Tony asks.

"It means that if I would even go to hold you she would yell at me for not doing it right. I tried to buy you a model car once and she almost bit my head off because there were little pieces that babies could eat. You were like two, I didn't know you were still putting things in your mouth. In the beginning I tried, I did, but she just, I don't know, she was obsessive with you."

"She was a good mom" Tony responds giving his father something. That in return earns him a smile.

"You don't understand Anthony" he replies, "because she died so early, but the women have a very special role in the house with the children and the cooking, they make it alive."

He looks at me.

"You are not Italian", Peter tells me.

"No" I respond, "That I am not."

"Then you don't understand either. The women are supposed to handle the children, it was always their place. When Rosie died, all of sudden I had this small person in my house and I had no idea what the hell to do with him, with you Anthony. "

Since I am now included in the conversation I decide to take a seat.

When she died it was as if I was meeting you for the first time in my life. I remember coming home from the hospital and not knowing where the hell you even were. I remember just standing in my kitchen trying to think where you could be, and I didn't even know when your school let out, so I went to call, but I didn't have a number I just didn't have a clue as to what to do. What I did have though was a bottle of Jack, so I took to drinking and figured wherever you were was better than being with me. I am sorry for that Anthony."

"Where was I" Tony asks, squinting as if trying to remember that day.

"Some sports event" Peter says, "I didn't even know you played sports. You and Dominic were on some team together, so Louisa picked you up, and all of sudden you were my problem. I had no idea what to do with you. You were hungry and I didn't know how to cook anything, and you missed your mother and I didn't know how to handle it."

Tony seems to be absorbing this well and isn't about to offer anything so I throw my two cents in.

"It must have been difficult raising him by yourself."

"It was hell" he says back brokenly, "And every time I would look at him, eh you Anthony, I would see Rosie and I would hear Rosie crying telling me how bad I was screwing up the one thing that she really truly loved and I had no idea how fix it."

I nod my head, "I used to hate children that looked my daughter too. I would see little girls playing and I used to become so angry that they weren't playing with my dead daughter. Like you said it's irrational, but it's what happens."

Tony glances my way and relaxes; if I'm going to offer up stories about Kelly then he sure as hell can sit in his seat and behave.

"I always loved him, you Anthony" he continues, "I just didn't always, you know like you."

Tony chuckles quietly to himself.

"Yeah well I kind of have some experience with that."

Peter grins at his son, and ladies and gentlemen, mission accomplished. We hear a large thud coming from the bathroom and then a very distraught Dominic Leone coming out.

"Oh my God" he says, "I'm dying, I'm fucking dying."

"How you feeling" Tony asks while laughing.

"It's not funny you jackass" Dominic responds while plopping down onto my couch.

"You're right" Tony concedes, "You know when it was particularly not funny? When you and Fanny decided to kill yourselves in front of my coworkers! You fucking dick!"

"Oh please" Dominic moans, "They were board as hell, you should be thanking me."

DiNozzo picks up his napkin, dips into his drink and throws it across the room to hit his cousin.

"I love you too buddy" Dominic responds.

Epilogue…

"Gibbs, Gibbs" I hear from my doorway. I turn the light on and meet DiNozzo.

"What's wrong" I ask.

"It's time" he tells me, "I have to go. You have the girls?"

"Yes" I respond, "Where's Ziva?"

"Already on the way to the hospital, I'm going to meet her."

"What do you mean she's already on the way to the hospital?"

"She said she wanted to drive."

"She's in labor!"

"Which is why she wanted to drive! You know how she is with driving, she figured she can do it better herself. Who am I to take that away from her?

"Tony-"

"Look, she's fine, if anyone is ever fine, it's her. I'm going to go meet her, you have the girls?"

"Yes yes, keep me updated, good luck!"

He taps my cheek and runs off. I make myself go back to bed because tomorrow is going to be a huge day.

NCISNCISNCIS

You ever have the feeling that someone is staring at you? I'm experiencing that right now. I roll over and decide that someone needs me to be awake. I open my eyes and I am greeted with two sets of green eyes…make that two someones.

"Are you awake" one of the sets asks me.

I smile, "No, I'm sleeping."

"No you're not" the other set tells me, "I can see your eyes are open."

I chuckle to myself and grab the two of them and throw them onto my bed.

"Well I guess that means we need to eat breakfast."

"That is exactly what it means" one little girl tells me, "I'm starving."

I roll my eyes. Sometimes they are so much like Tony it's scary…well I guess they are DiNozzos after all.

Twelve years later and life has gotten easier-mind you that's not to say that it hasn't had it's downs because it had. Angela, Tony's wife dying and leaving him with two one years old was not easy on anyone, but five years after that I think we have worked all the kinks out. He married Ziva a year ago and are about to begin a new chapter in their life.

"I want chocolate chips pancakes"

"No! I want waffles!"

"Pancakes!"

"Waffles!"

The two go to strike each other but I hold them back.

"I thought girls were supposed to be easier."

I get two mischievous smiles that I seem to already know so well.

In response I get, "Pancakes" and "Waffles" yelled at me.

"Ladies" I tell them, "It just so happens that I can make both."

Peter DiNozzo died peacefully in his sleep a week after visiting Tony down in Virginia. Down in Virginia, see how I talk now? We now live on Long Island…yes we. I had retired, and Tony had been given a job offer in New York through that NCIS branch and under my advice, he took it. His family just meant too much to him. He met a really nice girl Angela, married her, and then had his twin girls Rosemary and Marigold, Rosemary after his mother, and Marigold after hers. We call them Rosie and Goldie for short. He kept in touch with all of us, but it was still a surprise when I he greeted me that night on my doorstep with his twin girls. He told me that Angela had died and that he couldn't raise his girls because he was too afraid he'd screw it up like his father did him. He wanted me to raise them instead. I talked him down, and somehow the only solution he would accept is me going to up to New York and helping out for a while. Somehow I just ended up staying for six years. Well…of course it had something to do with the fact that his family also offered to help out and I didn't want the girls to end up insane or anything like their more promiscuous female relatives.

Ziva ended up coming here on a work related assignment and it apparently was too difficult for them to walk away from each other again.

"What's wrong Goldie" I ask as I see plump tears rolling down her face, an act no doubt that she learned from her father.

"It's not fair, she got what she wanted last time!"

"That's not true" Rosie shrieks at the top of her lungs, another wonderful trait that she inherited from her father, "She's lying!"

Well it looks like it's going to be another wonderful day with the six year olds and I couldn't be happier.

"Don't you guys want to know where your daddy is" I ask.

Two shocked faces greet me.

"Are they at the hospital" Goldie asks, "Is it time?"

"Yup" I respond, "You guys ready to go meet them?"

I get two delighted faces.

"Finally" Rosie says, "I've been waiting a really long time."

It's funny because when I look at them I see a feminized version of Tony; his eyes, his smile, his charisma; just Tony. The only trace of their mom is their fluffy strawberry blonde hair that is currently fashioned down to their shoulders with bangs. I only point out that they have bangs because it was quite an ordeal between the two of them as to whether or not to get them. Rosemary I would say is more like Tony in terms of intelligence where as Marigold seems to have taken after her mother who was a marine biologist. Rosie is so smart at arguing and constructing her point that it's scary. Marigold reminds me so much of Abigail with her constant thirst of scientific knowledge. In my head Rosie will grow up to be a litigator, and Marigold a research scientist; in their heads Rosie will grow up to be a ballet dancer and Marigold a princess.

"Alright ladies" I say and the two jump of the bed following me, "We have to wait for Tony and Ziva to call and then we go to the hospital. What else do you want to do before we head over there?"

I hold each of their hands and walk down Tony's house which is filled with pictures of his girls, him and Ziva, and much to my dismay, myself.

"You said we could do the science experiment" Goldie reminds me…well it's actually more like an accusation.

"No" Rosie screams back, "I don't like that! I don't want to do that!"

"Well what do you want to do" I ask Rosie.

"Not that!"

I roll my eyes.

"I want to read a book" Rosie then offers after consideration, "I want to go to the library please. I said please Gramps."

She is such a little manipulator it isn't funny.

"Well we were supposed to pick up your dresses for the wedding"

Tim is finally marrying Abby. Really, it took the two of them long enough.

"I'm going to be a better flower girl than you Rosemary" Goldie offers.

"No" Rosie says back, "I'm going to steal all your flowers and throw more than you. I'm going to throw them on you and then you'll trip and fall and die."

"Rosemary" I say, "What did we say about threatening to kill each other?"

She glares at me in return.

"Rosemary" I say a bit more sternly.

"Not to."

"Thank you."

"I want to wear my red spring dress today."

"No" the other one shrieks, "I was wearing that today!"

I know better than to offer that they both wear it at the same time. I personally, along with Tony, find it adorable when they dress alike, but the two of them don't seem to enjoy to being confused with the other…unless of course it's when they are switching on purpose. They actually are little monsters. We receive calls about once every two weeks with a problem from school. Rosemary gets into fistfights, Marigold makes other people cry, both of them play pranks on teachers and unsuspecting lunch aids, it never ends. My personal favorite has been however their black market business of doing homework and then selling it in the girl's bathroom. Of course hearing how teachers _suspect_ that they switch for tests is always fun to entertain; Marigold takes the science tests and Rosemary the literature ones. And mind you…they are only six. I'm hoping I'm dead by the time they become teenagers. Well at least life isn't boring.

I hear Tony enter the house, "It's a boy" he screams at the top his lungs.

"I have a brother" Marigold screams.

"We have a brother" Rosie corrects her.

"I want to meet my brother in the red dress" Marigold screams.

"No" Rosie shrieks.

Tony meets us in the hallway, dressed and ready to go.

"Aren't one of you supposed to be good" Tony asks picking up a laughing Marigold, "How can both of you be bad? I'm supposed to have a good one."

"Daddy" Rosemary shrieks and stomps her foot, "I called the red dress first!"

"You're killing me slowly" he tells her.

"So then you have time to tell Goldielocks that she can't have it!"

"Don't call me that!" Marigold screams and lunges for her sister only being prevented by Tony holding her.

"Okay new plan" I say, "Tony, you take that one, I'll take this one and we'll meet up at the hospital."

"Good plan" Tony shouts back over the screaming, "I don't know what I would do without you pops."

I glare at him and the two of us take our respective snarling creatures.

I hear Ziva's father screaming from downstairs and then Tony laughing manically.

Usually Tony can't stand his father-in-law, and I share those sentiments, but he can't complain seeing what hell his family has put Ziva, (who I should remind you is Jewish) through.

"Goldie" he says swooping her down, "I will buy whatever you want if you go and take the blame for this."

"Daddy" Goldie says seriously, "Ziva won't stay if you keep annoying her dad. The school psychologist says I need a positive female influence or else I'm going to end up in jail."

"Don't worry, I'll bust you out."

"What about Rosie, will you bust her out? You can leave her there Daddy. It's okay."

I pick up my monster, ignore the indignant, "Hey" shouted at her sister and walk away.

"Gramps" she tells me with a serious face, "It's my turn for the red dress."

Yup, life is good

We meet Ziva at the hospital. She looks put together and as in control as ever, but with a pleased expression that only a child can bring.

"We picked the name Matthias" Tony says.

"It is a good compromise" Ziva says as the twins sit on either side of her, (both in their red dresses much to the other's dismay) "A good blending of our cultures. It is an Israeli name, but the English version of the name, Matthew, is a very strong saint within the Catholic religion."

Tony takes the baby from Ziva and hands him over to me.

"Meet Matthias Jethro DiNozzo."

My head shoots up looking at the two of them.

"Come again" I ask as I feel tears welling in my eyes.

Tony hugs me hard and whispers in my ear.

"That's for making me bawl in Saint Pat's church all those years ago."

Ah that stupid ass. I can't help it, I laugh as tears roll down my face. Yes, life is very good.


End file.
